Since July, drivers will have to wear reflective vests in Germany in cars, and there is a fine for breach of duty. On the same date, environmental rules for entry into some German cities are also tightening, with cars with red and yellow emission stickers no longer allowed.
Including a mandatory vest in the car should improve the safety of drivers who, in the event of an accident or breakdown, have to get out of the car because the motorists will see them better in the surrounding vehicles. The new edit does not specify whether the reflective vest with reflective tape is orange, yellow or green. Unlike Austria, German regulations will not require a vest for each passenger, one per vehicle will suffice.
If the driver does not have a reflective vest in the car, he may be fined 15 euros during a road check. However, the German ADAC club points out that if the driver does not wear the vest with reflective material when getting off the vehicle, the offense is not. But in that case, he is unlikely to be entitled to compensation from an insurance company if a passing car injures him.
The rules for entering some German cities have also been tightened since July. While cars with three types of emission plaques have been able to do so until now, only vehicles with a green plaque, which designates the engine with the lowest environmental load, will now be allowed to enter. The measure covers 21 cities in the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia. A similar arrangement has been in place for some time, for example in Berlin.
The type of emission plaque is determined by the number of harmful substances that the vehicle emits into the atmosphere during operation. Petrol-powered cars launched in 1993, diesel-powered passenger cars launched in 2006, and trucks commissioned in October 2006 are also eligible for a green plaque.
In the Czech Republic, it is possible to obtain a plaque at most stations of technical inspection after presenting a large technical certificate. According to the Central Automobile Club of the Czech Republic, the price of the plaque is around CZK 300, its validity is not limited in time.
If a driver entered a defined low-emission zone without an emission plaque or with a worse grade than the city permits, he would face a fine of EUR 80.