Driving Tips, Rules & Regulations in Sweden

Let’s take a look at some of the fundamental rules that you will need to keep in mind when driving in Sweden.

Getting a driver’s license required you to take both a written and driving test. But if you've got a license from your own country, you can only use that for a certain period of time. Remember that you can risk losing your license if you are caught violating traffic rules – they can take your license away even if it wasn't issued locally.

Drivers are required to put on their seat belts when driving. The driver is also obligated to make sure that all the other passengers in the car have their seat belts on, including the back row, when outfitted. This is a rule that’s applied even on public transport, so you should comply with this always. If you've got kids with you, the ones with heights below 135 cm or less than 4 feet and 6 inches tall are should be provided with proper safety equipment, such as baby seats, restraints, cushions, and other suitable protection. These are to be used along with the seat belt.

Speed limits vary between 30 km/h and 120 km/h all over Sweden. They vary by intervals of 10 km/h. But more importantly, drivers should adjust their speed depending on the circumstances, including the weather and the roads’ conditions. These speed limits are enforced by cameras that are stationed on the roads. Anyone caught over speeding will be stopped and fined by the police on the spot.

There’s a strict policy against drunk driving in Sweden. The limit is about 0.02 percent of blood alcohol content. Should you be caught, the penalty could range between a fines to a prison sentence, not to mention you’ll lose your license. Take note that police can test you for alcohol influence anytime they want to stop you, so don’t risk it.

If you plan on visiting Sweden between December 1 and March 31 of the year, you’re required to have winter tires on your car. Dipped headlights are required to be on at all times when on the road.

The system of toll charging in Sweden is automated. Once you pass by a chargeable area, your license plate is recorded and the charges are sent to the car owner’s registration monthly.

When driving through the forested and mountain roads, make sure you watch out for animal crossing. Fences are usually put up in those areas to keep the animals from crossing, but you need to be careful still. It’s not a criminal offence to hit a wild animal, but it IS an offence to not report the injury. So in case this happens to you, make sure you report it to the authorities so the animal can be treated.

In case of emergencies while driving in Sweden, make sure you know the contact numbers. The national number for the fire department and ambulance call is 112. Also keep with you the contact number of your insurance company as well as the car company you hired your car from.

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