Inside the world’s weirdest road laws – including country where you must win lottery BEFORE being allowed to drive
ROAD laws are usually nothing to write home about and are a mundane part of everyday life.
But there are some countries with pretty unique rules – including one where you have to win the lottery to drive.
FRANCE
Driving while drunk is a serious offence – although many motorists under the influence still choose to get behind the wheel.
So far no solution has been found to the problem, but France did attempt to limit the amount of drunk drivers on the road by introducing a new law.
French motorists were previously required to carry an unused breathalyser in their car since 2013.
Those who chose not to purchase one originally risked receiving a £10 fine.
The sanction didn’t make it into the final version of the law so there is now no penalty.
GERMANY
Running out of fuel is usually frustrating, but in Germany it can be a criminal offence.
It’s illegal to run out of fuel on Germany’s highways.
Authorities consider running out of fuel a preventable problem and say stopping on the side of a road that often has no speed limit is extremely dangerous.
The fine for running dry can reach about £60.
SWITZERLAND
In Switzerland there are peculiar rules about where you can wash your car – meaning most people have to take a trip to the car wash.
Motorists aren’t allowed to wash their vehicle in their driveway or in front of their residence.
The government prohibits Swiss citizens from dumping anything that could contaminate the water in the sewer system, including the soap used to wash cars.
DUBAI
In Dubai camels are an important symbol and are held in high regard.
This means if they’re on the road they have right of way and should be given space.
CHINA
Chinese authorities cap new car sales by fuel type in a bid to limit air pollution and traffic congestion.
In 2019, the Beijing Transport Commission allowed 60,000 new-energy vehicles and 40,000 piston-powered models onto the city’s roads.
Drivers can enter a lottery system to win the right to buy a car; the odds of winning are about one to 500.
SOUTH AFRICA
Unlike in most countries, motorists in South Africa don’t need to have insurance when driving a car.
This has lead to 70 per cent of cars in the country being uninsured.
South African roads are often quite dangerous and car theft is a real problem meaning insurance claims could get complicated.
Bahrain
Authorities in Bahrain don’t mess around when it comes to traffic offences and can dish out jail sentences for most.
Running a red light can see you spending up to six months in jail, paying a £1000 fine or both.
Damaging property while running a red light is punishable by up to one year behind bars and a fine that can reach £6100.
It comes as drivers were warned over a simple mistake when refuelling at petrol stations which could invalidate your car’s warranty.
Callum Butler from ALA Insurance has warned that some actions my unknowingly void your car warranty, adding it was important to avoid common mistakes.
One tip that would seem to be common knowledge but clearly isn’t, is never to refuel your vehicle while the engine is running as this is effectively mixing fire and fuel.
Callum said: “Precaution is key, make sure to turn off the engine and wait for any residual heat to dissipate before refuelling.
“This minimises the risk of fuel vapours igniting which could pose a serious fire hazard.”