37 Surprising Germany's Autobahn Facts That You Didn't Know!

The world-renowned Autobahn is the famous highway of Germany.

It is known for having no speed limits, and the drivers can take off as fast as they can. Autobahn was also the world's first motorway.

The Germans built the Autobahns to the highest possible standards, so they felt it did not need a general speed limit. You can drive at a speed of 80 mph (128 kph) on the Autobahn. Some also take part in illegal racing on the Autobahns.

The fastest speed ever recorded on the road was 268 mph (431.3 kph). The Autobahn has a record of over 18,000 injuries on the road. It is open to all at every time in a day to give you an experience of fast driving.

What are autobahns?

Autobahn is a high-speed highway with limited access to cars. Planned in the 1930s, the Autobahn was the first modern expressway system of the world.

This long national highway network connects Germany to the neighboring areas, and by 1942, 1310 mi (2108 km) of the road was already completed.

After World War II, the German Autobahn sections got destroyed, following which West Germany started the reconstruction of the highway. Currently, the length of the entire Autobahn network is more than 7200 mi (11587 km), making the German autobahns the third-largest road network in the world, after China and the US.

The German Autobahn or the automobile road is the federal highway system of the country with controlled access.

The Germans officially use the term Bundesautobahnen to refer to Autobahn, which translates to the federal motorway.

There are some unique features and rules of the Autobahns which make the road so unusual and a topic of interest. It is widely known for not having any federally mandated speed limits. You can create your own speed limits in the Autobahns.

Speed limits have been enforced in some parts of the Autobahn, including the urbanized places, places that are prone to accidents, substandard places, and places under construction.

In those specific road stretches where the speed limit does not apply, an advisory speed limit of 81 mph (130 kph) always applies. This speed limit is not mandated by the fed yet in the unrestricted speed limit zones, so driving faster is not essentially illegal. 

The 80 mph (128 kph) speed limit is maintained to decrease the chances of dangerous collision in the auto road.

A survey in 2015 showed that only 23.4% of the German Autobahn has permanent speed limits imposed by the federal. 6.2% of the highway had a temporary speed limit due to weather issues and other conditions, while 70.4% of the road has a mere advisory speed limit.

Many cars tend to drive faster than the advisory speed limit. The average speed limit as measured by the German state of Brandenburg was 88 mph (141 kph) in a six-lane section of the road.

From 2009, Germany started to plan an expansion of the Autobahn by increasing the number of lanes in parts of the highway.

Most parts of the Autobahn have two to four lanes in each direction, including an emergency lane.

History Of Autobahn

While thinking about the Autobahns, the only image you get is flashing cars moving at lightning speeds. Even though the Autobahn is popular in culture for the absence of speed limits, it had a rich history since the '20s. The Autoban network is considered to be one of the longest highways in the world.

The construction of the German Autobahns started in 1913. This makes the Autobots the first motorway in the world.

The construction of the Autobahn began in Berlin as an experimental motorway. At that time, this road was typically used for racing cars. The road was only 24 ft (7.3 m) and had only two lanes.

The network of roads started flourishing during the Weimar Republic. The Autobahn did not become fully developed until the Nazis took over Germany in 1933.

When Hitler assumed the rule of Germany, he realized the importance of a high-speed road to bring all the resources.

Under his rule, the construction works of two east-west and north-south motorway linking roads were initiated.

This road was named Reichsautobahnen in their native language and opened for the public in May 1935, between Frankfurt and Darmstadt.

The construction work was highly disrupted after World War II started in 1943, and it stopped. Before the construction stopped, 1310 mi (2108 km) of the road was built.

After the war ended, it was observed that most parts of the Autobahn were ruined due to unprecedented misuse and movement of heavy traffic vehicles.

West Germany began the reconstruction work of the Autobahn as soon as the war ended, but East Germany seemed reluctant to begin the repairs until their unification in 1990.

Currently, Autobahn is a dream destination for all the racing drivers of the world. Measured at 8197 mi (13,191 km), it is the third-largest roadway after US and China.

Autobahn Rules

If you think you can drive in the Autobahn without maintaining any rule or traffic enforcement, then you are probably mistaken. Laws and rules are enforced on the roadway by each state's highway patrol.

They keep an eye out on the road to spot any breach of rules, often in unmarked patrol cars or motorcycles equipped with video cameras. Here are some notable rules to ensure that everyone stays safe while driving on the Autobahns.

Any foot traffic is strictly prohibited on the Autobahn. Pedestrians on the Autobahn are a recipe for disaster, so they are never allowed on the road. The cars move very fast on the road, making it impossible to stop if a pedestrian crosses the way.

Only cars, SUVs, trucks, and motorcycles are allowed n the road. The average speed on the Autobahn is 100 mph making it unsafe for anything that cannot move at high speed. Subsequently, bicycles or mopeds cannot waltz their way into the Autobahn.

The left lane is the passing lane on the Autobahn, and you cannot pass another vehicle using the right lane in the Autobahn. When there is traffic, the drivers have to pull over their cars and move either to the left lane or right lane to avoid congestion on the road. The passing emergency vehicles use the central lane.

The Autobahn is a one-way road; once you hit the road, there's no option for you to change your mind; you are headed in that direction. U-turns and backups are prohibited on the road. So you have to know the direction to the place you want to go before taking the Autobahn.

Once you start driving on the Autobahn, you are expected to drive till you cross the entire high road. The shoulders are only for the stalled vehicles. You cannot stop on the shoulders to check your phone or make a call.

It is not a freeway for its entire span. Some speed limits are maintained in parts of the big cities where the road conditions are unfavorable. The limits are enforced when the government feels it is necessary to control car traffic.

Since 2005, a new system of tolls was imposed mandatorily on heavy trucks weighing more than 24,000 lb (10,886 kg). The toll currently is calculated depending on the toll roads as well as the weight of the car, the amount of pollution caused by the car, and the number of axles in the car.

To indicate the intention of overtaking a car from the left lane, it is legal to give short honks or flashes of light signals. However, a minimum distance in the front must be maintained; otherwise, it can be regarded as an act of coercion.

Running out of gas in the Autobahn is considered to be an avoidable occurrence since there are many gas stations on the road within every 30-34 mi (50-55 km). Drivers can be suspended from the Autobahn if they are caught taking an unnecessary stop on the road.

In some regions, this is also considered to be a serious crime, and the drivers can face prison sentences.

Although overtaking from the right lane is prohibited, if the left lane is crowded and the cars are moving slowly, it is permissible for the cars to move from the right side to avoid traffic jams. This is referred to as driving past, and the speed difference should not be more than 12 mph (19.3 kph).

Size And Other Features Of Autobahn

As mentioned earlier, Autobahn is the third-longest network of highways in the world. This long network of roads has some amazing facts and features which you would love to know.

The Autobahn is constructed using a freeze-resistant concrete mix. It happens to be one of the main reasons why the Autobahn stayed reliant year after year. This type of road mix prevents the Autoban from cracking. 

The Autobahn was used as a landing strip for airplanes sometimes. This became common during the Cold War and acted as an alternative place to land planes in case the Soviet Union bombed the airstrips. 

During World War II, bicycles were allowed on the Autobahns as a mode of transport. This was because of a shortage of fuel. 

The top speed on the German Autobahn was recorded in 1938. The car that recorded the speed was Mercedes-Benz W125 with a V12 5577cc engine. 

 The most dreadful accident in Germany occurred on the Autobahn in 2004. A drugged driver collided with a trunk hauling thousands of gallons of fuel. The guard rails failed to stop the truck, and it plummeted a hundred feet, finally ending in an explosion on the Autobahn. 

The urban and the rural areas have different speed limits on the German Autobahn. 60% of the deaths occur on rural roads. 

There are generally no tolls on the Autobahn. They initiated the use of tolls, but it was never implemented. Therefore, they implemented the cost of highway maintenance into the federal budget.