A guide to driving in
SLOVAKIA
VISITOR INFORMATION AT A GLANCE
l Slovakia is a small country in the centre of Europe,
occupying an area of 49,033 square km
l The country has a population of 5,425,000 people.
l Slovakia gained independence from the CzechoSlovak Federation in 1993.The country joined NATO
and the European Union in 2004.
l The euro replaced the Slovak crown as currency in
2009.
l There are just over three million registered drivers
in Slovakia, with a total of 2,236,000 vehicles. Around
75% of these are passenger cars.
l Slovakia's border countries are: Poland, Ukraine,
Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
l Slovakia is one of very few countries to impose a
zero alcohol limit for driving.You are therefore committing an offence by driving with any level of alcohol
in your system, however small.
l The capital city of Slovakia is Bratislava.
l The international vehicle ID vehicle code is SK
This document was last revised on 1 April 2014
Please see next pages for comprehensive
information on specific road rules and
TISPOLs advice on safer driving.
A guide to driving in SLOVAKIA
Driving facts
l Requirements for authorisation of
driving right and issue of a driving licence
(categories of vehicles, driving tests, physical and mental fitness to drive, residence
etc.) are in compliance with the EU legislation.
l Driving licences issued by a state of
the European Economic Area are recognized in compliance with with the EU
legislation.
l For driving licences issued by a state
which is a Contracting Party to the
Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or
the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic,
exchange of such driving licences is
mandatory if their holders have taken up
residence in Slovakia.
Drink-drive limit:
l The maximum alcohol concentration
allowed is zero.
l There is also zero tolerance for drugs
a driver is forbidden to drive a vehicle
at the time when drug can be present in
his body
Speed limits
l on motorways and expressways: 130
km/h for cars, motorcycles and vehicles
with a maximum authorised mass not
exceeding 3500 kg. 100 km/h for a bus,
90 km/h for a vehicle having a maximum
authorised mass exceeding 3500 kg.
l on motorways and expressways: the
minimum speed limit is 80km/h (65km/h
on motorways and expressways in builtup areas).
l The minimum speed limit is 80 km/h
(65 km/h on motorways and expressways in built-up areas.)
Annual road deaths
l In 2012, there were 296 deaths
l In 2011, the figure was 324.
l In 2010, there were 345 deaths.
Motorcycles
l The number of motorcycles registered in Slovakia has risen from 58,141 in
2006 to 99,474 in 2012.
l 28 motorcyclists lost their lives in
road collisions in 2012.
Pedestrians
l In 2006 there were 194 pedestrian
fatalities. In 2007 there were 208, in
2008 there were 184, in 2009 there
were 104 and in 2012 there were 66.
Trucks
l An enourmous increase of goods
transport has been recorded since 1993
because the country is situated on a
crossroad of European road transport
links.There were 285,978 goods vehicles
registered in Slovakia in 2012.
l In 2006, there were 40 fatalities
caused by goods vehicle drivers. In 2007,
this rose to 59 but was reduced in 2012
to 24.
Police officers remain in control of certain fines
imposed on offending drivers.
Enforcement
l Road law is enforced in the framework of the daily routine of traffic police units.
Every patrol has breathalysers. Officers can check alcohol to enforce the law.
Enforcement is based on factors of time, place and road user category.
l One interesting aspect of enforcement is that police officers remain in control
of certain fines imposed on offending drivers. As an example, the patrol officers
below can decide, based on the mitigating circumstances of the individual driver,
what is the appropriate cash penalty he must pay them.
Recent legislation changes
l New legislation came into force in February, 2009, allowing more strict sanctions
for traffic offences. It provides also for certain changes in traffic rules which are
now in compliance with the Vienna Convention and are now updated.
l As of 1 November 2011, drink-driving with BAC over 1 promile is a crime.
Useful phrases
Call the Police!
Zavolajte polciu!
Do you speak English?
Hovorte po anglicky?
Can I pay a fine now?
Mem teraz zaplatit pokutu?
I am lost.
Nevyznm sa tu.
Thank you!
Dakujem!
Emergency contacts
In an emergency, call 112.
For more information, please visit:
www.slovensko.com (in English)
Pics: Shutterstock
Useful regulations and advice
What documents must I be able to produce if requested by the police?
Driving licence; registration certificate
or technical certificate (if the vehicle is
not subject to registration); motor vehicle insurance certificate ie "Green Card"
or "frontiers insurance" (not required for
motor vehicles registered in countries
which are Contracting parties to Internal
Regulations Section III adopted by
Council of Bureaux); technical inspection certificate; proof of payment for use
of certain roads and motorway vignette.
Drivers aged over 65 who have permanent residence in Slovakia must carry
physical fitness certificate.
Do I need to carry a reflective jacket in
my car? If so, how many?
Yes, 1 piece of safety reflective clothing.
The clothing must be placed in the cabin
within the reach of the driver and meet
the EN 471 standards.
Do I need to carry spare bulbs for the
lights on my vehicle?
No
Do I need to carry spare spectacles if I
wear them for driving?
No. However if spectacles are prescribed for driving, they must be used.
Do I need to carry a fire extinguisher?
Not required for passenger cars
Any other equipment or paperwork I
need for a journey in or through your
country?
A warning triangle, a wheel chock for a
passenger car with maximum authorized
mass exceeding 3500 kg and for a trailer
with maximum authorized mass exceeding 750 kg, a wheel spanner, a portable
axle jack, a spare wheel with tyre.
Winter driving
What items are required or recommended for journeys made in winter?
If a carriageway is entirely covered with
snow or ice, it is compulsory to use winter tyres on all wheels. This rule does not
apply to terrain vehicles and to an
extraordinary case, when due to a tyre
puncture, a normal spare tyre or a temporary-use spare tyre is used.
Passengers
Is there a minimum age or height for a
passenger to ride in the front seat?
A guide to driving in
Yes, the minimum height is 150 cm.
What specific regulations are in place
for carrying babies and children?
A child less than 150 cm in height can
only be transported in a child restraint
system suitable for the childs mass.
Children may not be transported using a
rearward-facing child restraint system in
a seat protected by a front airbag, unless
the airbag has been deactivated.
Children under three years of age may
not be transported in vehicles that
are not fitted with safety systems.
Do you have any specific rules regarding the carriage of dogs and other pets?
Safety of a driver, safety of a passenger,
safety of transported animals and road
safety must not be endangered while
transporting animals in a vehicle.
Breakdown and collision advice
Please give brief advice on what I
should do if my vehicle breaks down, on
the motorway and on other roads.
In case of a vehicle breakdown, the driver is obliged to place a warning triangle
behind the vehicle on a hard shoulder in
a way it would be visible for approaching drivers at minimum distance of 100
m (on motorways and express ways
(roads for motor vehicles) or 50 m (on
other roads); in a built-up area the warning triangle can be placed in lesser distance. It is necessary for passengers to
leave the vehicle immediately. The driver must notify the police if the vehicle
creates obstruction in road traffic.
And finally...
SLOVAKIA
Please give clear advice on what I am
required to do if I am involved in a
collision.
If there is death, injury, damage to the
road or alcohol/drugs are suspected, then
notify the police, call for medical assistance and provide first aid to the injured
(depending on the drivers capabilities).
You must stay at the scene.
You should be prepared to show your
identity to another person involved on
demand, and provide your details to the
owner of any property damaged in the
collision. You may move your vehicle if
it is necessary for extricating people or
providing emergency medical help or
reopening traffic, but you must mark the
position of vehicles after the accident
and the traces left.
If the collision is less serious, you must
still show his identity to other persons
involved, as well as pass on your insurance details. You must refrain from use
of alcohol or another psychoactive substance at the scene, and put in place
measures to secure road safety. You
should notify immediately those who
have suffered material damage and give
them your personal data. You must also
fill in and sign a road collision form
(model
Comit
Europen
des
Assurances (CEA)).
Local knowledge
Are there dangers to road users from
wildlife?
Yes. Usually in mountain and forest
areas and in areas of game reservations
(farms). Watch out for warning signs.
Take an advantage of a small modern country in the heart of Europe, where you do not
need to travel 100s of kilometres to relax in healing thermal water, to do hiking, mountaineering in the High Tatras, or skiing in other spectacular mountains such as the Low Tatras or the
Mala Fatra, to see traces of history in a form of all architectural styles varying from Roman style to the most modern ones... or sunbathe on the banks
of numerouse clear-water lakes.
Enjoy some of Slovak traditional meal such as bryndzove halusky (potato dumplings with special kind of unpasteurized fermented sheep cheese
called 'bryndza' and pieces of fried bacon), taste execellent wine produced
in southern parts of the country or different national alcoholic beverages
such as plum liqueur or simply quench your thirst with a great variety of
mineral waters. It does not matter in which season you visit Slovakia there is always much to do, see and enjoy. Just come, respect traffic rules
Lubomir Durina
while driving and make
yourself at home.You are warmly welcome!
TISPOL, Slovakia
