In Romania, speed restrictions are imposed on all road categories. And when a driver is recorded by the Police as having exceeded the legal maximum speed, he is either stopped and fined, or receives the penalty at home, by mail. However, there are certain vehicles that are forgiven, and their drivers do not receive a fine if they are caught by the radar.
They are cars that, according to the law, have a special traffic regime. They are not subject to the regulations imposed by law on all other vehicles.
So they do not have the obligation to respect neither the traffic rules, nor the color of the traffic lights, nor the speed limit.
Vehicles with special traffic regime
Vehicles with a special traffic regime are distinguished from the rest of the cars thanks to acoustic and light signals.
The special light warning signals have the following meanings:
- red light – obliges traffic participants to stop, in the direction of travel, as close as possible to the side of the road;
- blue light – obliges traffic participants to give way.
Therefore, drivers who meet a vehicle with red flashing lights on, have the obligation to stop. When the traffic light is blue, they are not obliged to stop, but only to give way.
They are authorized to use special light colored warning signals:
- red – vehicles belonging to the Police and Fire Brigade;
- blue – vehicles belonging to:
- Police, Gendarmerie, Border Police;
- Romanian Customs Authority;
- the National Fiscal Administration Agency,
- Ambulance service or forensic medicine;
- Civil protection;
- Salvamont and Salvaspeo;
- Ministry of National Defense accompanying military columns;
- the Romanian Intelligence Service and the Protection and Security Service;
- the National Administration of Penitentiaries within the Ministry of Justice;
- The Public Ministry (prosecutors’ service vehicles), when moving in intervention actions or in missions that are of an emergency nature.
So, according to the law, drivers must pull to the right and stop only when a Police or Fire engine is passing.
What cars are forgiven if caught on radar
According to the law, emergency vehicles that have the acoustic and light signals in operation are forgiven if they are picked up by the radar.
„They have a priority circulation regime only (…) when moving in intervention actions or in missions that are of an emergency nature. In order to have the right of way, these vehicles must have their light and sound signals working“, it is specified in Art. 61 (1) of GEO 195/2002.
But, if the traffic lights are turned off or the siren is not activated, these vehicles no longer benefit from the special traffic regime.
„There are also cars that belong to the Ministry of the Interior and are used for special surveillance missions. And in exceptional situations, they can be used for interventions. They are not stickered, they do not have traffic lights, but their registration numbers are found in a special database. So they also benefit from a special circulation regime”, sources from the Ministry of Internal Affairs explained to ProMotor.
According to the law, drivers of cars with a special traffic regime, who do not have their acoustic and light signals on, are obliged to comply with all road rules, including the speed limit.
And if the driver of a vehicle with a special traffic regime is caught by the radar, he can be fined. Including those who drive a special Police, Fire, Rescue or Gendarmerie vehicle.
Source: www.promotor.ro
