Dutch Motorway Rules: Speeds, Lanes, and the Emergency Lane

Dutch motorways are fast, busy, and tightly regulated. Knowing the difference between an autosnelweg and an autoweg, and the rules of the right-hand lane, will get you through several CBR exam questions.

Autosnelweg vs. autoweg

• Autosnelweg (motorway) — signed with a white car-and-road icon on a blue background. Minimum vehicle speed 60 km/h, motorway speed limits apply.
• Autoweg (expressway) — signed with a white car icon on a blue background (no road lines). Minimum vehicle speed 50 km/h, 100 km/h maximum.

Keep right

On a Dutch motorway you drive in the right-hand lane and only use the left lanes to overtake. Camping in the middle or left lane is illegal and ticketed.

Overtaking

Overtake on the left. The only legal exceptions are slow-moving traffic in queues and special cases on multi-lane roads inside built-up areas.

Emergency lane (vluchtstrook)

• Only for vehicles in genuine trouble — never to skip a queue.
• If you must use it, put on hazard lights and exit at the next opportunity.
• Some motorways have a 'spitsstrook' (rush-hour lane) that is opened above the road with a green arrow — only then may you drive on it.

Joining and leaving

Use the slip road to accelerate to motorway speed before merging. Drivers already on the motorway are not legally required to make space — though most will. To exit, signal early and decelerate on the slip road, not on the motorway itself.