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Belgian Traffic Rules - Royal Decree June 3, 2024
Belgium has comprehensive traffic regulations outlined in the Royal Decree on the Traffic Code (Code of Public Roads). This document covers all rules governing behavior on public roads, right-of-way, speed limits, vehicle requirements, and traffic signs.
Chapter 1: Introductory Provisions
Art. 2 provides comprehensive definitions including: Road user (pedestrian, driver, rider), Vehicle (cars, bicycles, motorcycles, etc.), Road parts (roadway, lanes, sidewalk, bicycle path, hard shoulder, parking strip, central reservation, median strip), Motorized mobility devices, Bicycles, Motor vehicles, Mopeds, Motorcycles, Three and four-wheelers with motor, Automobiles, Personal cars, Dual-use cars, Minibuses, Vans, Buses, Coaches, Freight vehicles, Agricultural vehicles, Priority vehicles (emergency vehicles), Towing, Stop (parking briefly for boarding/unloading), Parking (stopping for extended period), Dangerous goods transport vehicles, Shared vehicles, Public transport vehicles.
Chapter 2: Authorized Persons and Signalers
Art. 3: Police personnel of federal and local police, administrative staff for automated enforcement, personnel of the Directorate-General for Road Transport and Traffic Safety, customs officials, field watchers within their territory, military building supervisors, military police, firefighting and civil protection personnel at intervention sites, and railway safety personnel.
Art. 4: Road users must immediately comply with orders from authorized persons. Orders include: arm raised (stop), arms horizontally extended (stop to vehicles crossing the arms), swinging red light (stop). Orders to moving road users must be given only by uniformed authorized persons.
Art. 5: Signalers (minimum age 16-25 depending on task) may give instructions to ensure safety for children, persons with disabilities, elderly persons, and during organized events. They must wear reflective safety vests with "signalers" inscription and carry a disc with traffic sign C3 or red light.
Art. 6: Road users must comply in order: (1) Orders from authorized persons, (2) Traffic lights, (3) Signalers' instructions, (4) Traffic signs and markings, (5) Traffic rules in this code.
Chapter 3: Rules for Use of Public Roads
Section 1: General Behavioral Rules
- Art. 7: All road users must conduct themselves safely and not cause danger or hindrance to others. They must adapt behavior to road conditions, traffic density, visibility, weather, road state, vehicle type and load, and presence of other users.
- Drivers must be extra careful toward vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists, children, persons with mobility limitations, and persons with disabilities, as well as road maintenance personnel.
- Forbidden to throw objects, debris or substances on roads; create obstruction; generate smoke or steam hindering traffic.
- Forbidden to open vehicle doors or step in/out without ensuring it doesn't endanger or hinder other road users.
Section 2: Drivers
- Art. 8 § 1: Every vehicle or towing unit in motion must have a driver. This applies to draft, draft animals, and livestock.
- Art. 8 § 2: Minimum driving ages: 14 (unpowered animals), 16 (horse-drawn vehicles, motorized devices, mopeds, motorcycles category A1, agricultural category G ≤20t, preliminary permit holders), 17 (preliminary permit category B), 18 (other motor vehicles), 21 (three-wheeled category A, commercial person transport drivers).
- Art. 8 § 3: Drivers must be capable of steering, possess required physical fitness, knowledge, and driving skills. They must continuously control the vehicle properly.
- Art. 8 § 4: Drivers of animals must continuously control them properly.
- Art. 8 § 5: Except when stopped/parked, drivers cannot use, hold, or manipulate mobile electronic devices with screens unless mounted in a vehicle holder.
- Art. 8 § 6: Drivers cannot leave vehicles unattended without taking precautions to prevent accidents or unauthorized use.
- Art. 8 § 7: Drivers cannot repeatedly accelerate engine in neutral; cannot let engine run in neutral except when necessary.
Section 3: General Rules for Road Position
- Art. 9 § 1: Pedestrians use (in order of preference): sidewalk, marked paths (D9, D11, D13), marked paths (D15), raised shoulder, level shoulder, lateral strip, parking strip, unmarked bicycle path, marked bicycle path, roadway.
- Art. 9 § 2: Drivers follow the roadway. Must keep as far right as possible. On multi-lane roads (separated by median, no-access space, or level difference), cannot use left roadway. Within built-up areas can use lane best serving their destination.
- Art. 9 § 6-8: Cyclists and moped riders (class A) must use marked bicycle paths, sign-posted paths (D7), shared paths (D9), lateral strips, or roadway (in order of availability). Exception for turning or overtaking.
- Art. 9 § 9: Motorcyclists can position on full width of right half of undivided roadway, or full width of lane on multi-lane roadway.
Speed and Distance Maintenance
- Art. 10 § 1: Drivers must maintain adapted speed, not exceeding maximum allowed speed. Must be able to stop for any foreseeable obstacle.
- Art. 10 § 3: Drivers must maintain sufficient safety distance between vehicle and vehicle ahead. On roads exceeding 50 km/h, minimum 2-second distance.
- Art. 10 § 4: Forbidden to hinder normal traffic by abnormally slow driving without valid reason.
- Art. 10 § 5: Forbidden to hinder traffic by unnecessary hard braking when not required for safety.
- ⚠️ missing: resources.trafficRules.chapter3.section3Speed.encouragingSpeed
- Art. 10 § 7: Drivers must slow when approaching draft or riding animals or livestock; must stop if animals show fear signs.
Right of Way
- Art. 11 § 2: Drivers must give way to vehicles approaching from right. Exception: vehicles from unpaved roads/paths must give way to vehicles on regular roads; motorway entry must yield to motorway traffic; roundabout entrants must yield to traffic already in roundabout.
- Art. 11 § 3.1: All road users must give way to railway vehicles, moving away from tracks as quickly as possible.
- Art. 11 § 3.2: When priority vehicle (blue lights and special horn) approaches, all users must immediately clear passage, give way, and stop if necessary.
- Art. 11 § 3.3: Within built-up areas, drivers behind bus using direction signals to exit must slow and stop if necessary, allowing bus departure.
- Art. 11 § 3.5: Drivers must give way to pedestrians on pedestrian crossings. At traffic light controlled crossings, must allow pedestrians who began crossing to complete safely.
- Art. 11 § 3.6: Cyclists at cyclist crossings must yield to approaching vehicles. Approaching drivers must allow cyclists to complete crossing.
- ⚠️ missing: resources.trafficRules.chapter3.section3Priority.cyclingRiderYieldance
Maneuvers and Intersection Management
- Art. 12: When lane ends or traffic blocked on one lane during heavy congestion, drivers must merge just before narrowing, signaling clearly, allowing alternating vehicles to merge.
- Art. 13: During traffic jam on 2+ lane roads, drivers must form rescue lane: left lane drivers fully left, other lane drivers fully right for emergency/recovery vehicles.
- Art. 14: Drivers must give way to other users when maneuvering (changing lanes, crossing roadway, turning, backing up, entering traffic stream, merging when lane ends). Must signal intent clearly with direction indicators or arm signals.
- Art. 15: Drivers who entered controlled intersection may clear it without waiting for traffic signal change, unless red light at right prohibits it. Cannot enter intersection if blocked by traffic.
- Art. 16: Crossing happens on right. Drivers must maintain sufficient lateral distance, yield if needed. Oncoming drivers must slow/stop to allow crossing.
- Art. 17: Overtaking only applies to moving vehicles. Drivers overtake on left; exceptions apply for specific situations. Must check mirrors/blind spots, ensure road is sufficiently clear, can return to right lane, and can complete overtake quickly. Must signal intent with direction indicators.
- Art. 18: Overtaking prohibited at: railway crossings (except with signals/lights), left at intersections requiring yield, near hilltops/curves with limited visibility (unless can overtake without crossing solid line), when overtaking driver is passing another, at pedestrian/cyclist crossings (outside controlled intersections), on speed bumps, during rain on motorways/motor roads/4+-lane roads for heavy goods vehicles.
- Art. 19: When changing direction, must give way to: users on same road being left, pedestrians crossing roadway being entered, oncoming traffic (for left turns). Must signal intent with direction indicators.
Section 4: Stopping and Parking
- Art. 20 § 1: Standing/parked vehicles must be positioned: right relative to driving direction (except one-way roads and residential areas), outside roadway (on shoulders within/outside built-up areas). Must leave min 1.5m pedestrian passage on sidewalks/shoulders used by pedestrians.
- Art. 20 § 2: Vehicles on roadway must be: far from roadway center, parallel to edge (except special layout), in single row.
- Art. 20 § 3-4: Park only within marked parking spaces. Bicycles/mopeds/mobility devices must park outside roadway, leaving min 1.5m pedestrian passage.
- Art. 21: Standing/parking forbidden at: railway crossings, railway vehicle crossing points, pedestrian/cyclist crossings (within 5m), bicycle path entry/exit points (within 5m), pedestrian passage points around obstacles (within 1.5m), within 20m of traffic lights/signs (exceptions for vehicles ≤1.65m height), near intersections (within 5m), roundabouts, motorways/motor roads, handicap parking spaces (without permit), dangerous locations.
- Art. 22: Parking prohibited when: within 1m of other vehicles (blocking entry/exit), within 15m of public transport stops, blocking property access, blocking parking area access, on lateral strips, in residential areas.
Section 5: Rules on Specific Road Sections
- Art. 23: No traffic on track-laid tracks outside public roads. Can proceed on crossings after verifying no approaching train when: unmarked crossings, crossings without lights, lights not working.
- Art. 24: Prohibited for: pedestrians, cyclists, moped riders, animals; vehicles unable to reach 70 km/h (except military convoys); vehicles towing with emergency/auxiliary couplings; four-wheelers without passenger space; agricultural vehicles. Max speed: 120 km/h (90 km/h for vehicles >3.5t, buses); 100 km/h for coaches with speed limiters. Prohibited: cross-connections, turning, reversing, towing with emergency/auxiliary couplings, driving <70 km/h (except military convoys). No strikes/demonstrations/sports events.
- Art. 25: Only motorized vehicles allowed (exceptions: four-wheelers without passenger space, carnival trailers, vehicles towing emergency, mopeds, agricultural vehicles). Same prohibitions as motorways apply.
- Art. 26: Playing permitted on full roadway width. Players/pedestrians cannot unduly hinder traffic. Drivers must give way to pedestrians/players.
- Art. 27: With multi-lane roundabouts, drivers can use lanes other than right if not exiting at first exit and moving to rightmost lane before first exit. Must use direction indicators only when exiting.
- Art. 28: Only indicated users permitted (cyclists if marked, animals, waste vehicles, maintenance vehicles, medical vehicles, permit holders).
- Art. 29: Only bicycles, speedpedelecs, waste vehicles, public transport, business delivery vehicles, medical vehicles, permit holders. Players/pedestrians cannot hinder traffic. Drivers must give way to pedestrians. Cyclists/speedpedelecs must dismount if pedestrian traffic is too dense.
- Art. 30: Only residents/garage owners, bicycles, speedpedelecs, waste vehicles, maintenance vehicles, medical vehicles, permit holders. Players/pedestrians cannot hinder traffic. Drivers must give way to pedestrians/players.
- Art. 31: Only bicycles, speedpedelecs, medical vehicles, permit holders. Pedestrians cannot hinder traffic. Drivers must give way to pedestrians.
Section 6: Rules for Specific Road Users
- Art. 32: Priority vehicle drivers must use blue lights and may use special horn (only when performing priority function). Can pass red lights at controlled intersections if no danger. Can access pedestrian zones, reserved roads, play/school streets when duty justifies.
- Art. 33: Pedestrians must use crossings within 20m. Without crossing, cross perpendicular. Don't linger/stop. On traffic-controlled crossings, may cross diagonally.
- Art. 34: Drivers must maintain min 1m lateral distance from pedestrians (1.5m outside built-up areas). Must slow/stop if unable to maintain distance. Must slow significantly when passing boarding/alighting public transport.
- Art. 35: Cyclists cannot ride without handlebar control, without feet on pedals/footrests, by being towed, or while holding animals.
- Art. 36: Max 4 animals lengthwise, 3 sideways in formation. Harness must enable proper control. Convoys need escorts for safety. Drivers must stay near animals and control them properly.
- Art. 37: Motorists must maintain min 1m distance from cyclists/moped riders/riders (1.5m outside built-up areas).
- Art. 38: Groups following vehicles, military columns can use right lane (max lane width). Groups >100 split into max 100-person groups. Groups >50 need 2+ signalers. Cyclists in 10+ person groups not required to use bicycle paths; can ride two abreast.
- ⚠️ missing: resources.trafficRules.chapter3.section6SpecificUsers.behaviorToOrganizedGroups