# Austrian Safety Vest - Euro specific?



## elegant (May 28, 2007)

I second the above suggestion for buying them at the first floor shop in the Welt. So easy, so quick, and time is most important while on an ED. This is a stock item for the store (bought ours last month).


----------



## bfv (Sep 30, 2010)

We need safety vest and vignette ONLY if one drives on highway in Austria. Is this correct? My itinerary involves some driving in local roads in Austria from Fussen to Mittenwald and to Munich but I guess I won't be driving on highways. ?suggestion


----------



## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

bfv said:


> We need safety vest and vignette ONLY if one drives on highway in Austria. Is this correct? My itinerary involves some driving in local roads in Austria from Fussen to Mittenwald and to Munich but I guess I won't be driving on highways. ?suggestion


I believe you always need the vest. The vignette is only needed for the Autobahn and not required when driving secondary roads.


----------



## BobcatWong (Jun 5, 2013)

> No, it's not a myth. You need to have Warnwesten in the car for all occupants.


I'll buy 1 each for myself & my wife, but is the vest required for a 1 year old? He'll be in a baby car seat.


----------



## Dave 20T (Apr 7, 2013)

BobcatWong said:


> I'll buy 1 each for myself & my wife, but is the vest required for a 1 year old? He'll be in a baby car seat.


I presume the vests are merely for anyone outside of the car. In Spain, drivers who wear glasses must have a spare pair in the car.

I got a vest from Harbor Freight Tools for a very low price. I've had at for a few years, even before European delivery.


----------



## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

Since July 2012, it's been law in France to have an NF-approved breathalyzer kit in the car, but a recent report suggests that the police will no longer be fining drivers for not having one.


----------



## johnf (Sep 16, 2003)

According to this month's issue of ADAC Motorwelt, the vest will also become German law in July 2014.


----------



## pawarrant (Jun 15, 2006)

OK so we all know now you are required to have a vest inside the car for each occupant (which I complied with on my ED), but can someone explain when the law requires you wear said vest?


----------



## Dave 20T (Apr 7, 2013)

pawarrant said:


> OK so we all know now you are required to have a vest inside the car for each occupant (which I complied with on my ED), but can someone explain when the law requires you wear said vest?


There's occasionally some misinformation so I would think the best source would be to read the actual law. Second best might be some national auto club (similar to AAA, CAA, RAC) website.

It's possible that, for practical purposes, people standing outside of the car on the roadside must wear a vest. I didn't see any Germans wearing a vest inside of the car.

I see this law as sensible. The first aid kit is maybe a bit much given that most people won't use the first aid kit and the kit is not too useful.


----------



## pawarrant (Jun 15, 2006)

Dave 20T said:


> There's occasionally some misinformation so I would think the best source would be to read the actual law...


Anyone have the English wording of the law?


----------



## sactoken (Apr 4, 2004)

Here's a great resource for detailed country-specific info on equipment and other driving requirements from the AA, the UK's AAA:

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/countrybycountry.html?icid=touringtipspdf

Here's the link to the Austrian tourist authority's website detailing driving requirements:

http://www.austria.info/us/plan-your-trip/driving-regulations-in-austria-1084578.html

Oddly, both of these say the vests are only required for drivers in Austria, but I was sure they were required for each occupant, so I bought two of them on my ED last year (asked Peter to stop at ADAC for vests, maps, and vignettes on the way from the airport to the hotel, another option for getting them).


----------



## pickupjason (Jan 30, 2010)

I just picked up mine at ikea. Around 3 or 4 bucks each and I bought 5 of them, since we will have 3 adults and 2 kids to pick up my F31 on 9/2. 


Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


----------



## khlay (Apr 1, 2013)

Did I get the special treatment? 
I just asked for them when I was doing the paperwork and I got 3 ( one for each) for free.:thumbup:


----------



## pawarrant (Jun 15, 2006)

sactoken said:


> ...asked Peter to stop at ADAC for vests, maps, and vignettes on the way from the airport to the hotel, another option for getting them


I did the same thing. There is an ADAC across the street from BMW Niederlassung, which is a corporate owned BMW dealership in Munich. Since my flight got in before check in time at my hotel, this was a good place to stop to get vests, vignettes, and free maps as well as to check out this amazing BMW dealership.

Thanks for the info. on the law. It appears you need to wear the vest only if involved in a breakdown, or accident when outside of your vehicle.


----------



## Diesel Power (Oct 2, 2010)

pawarrant said:


> I did the same thing. There is an ADAC across the street from BMW Niederlassung, which is a corporate owned BMW dealership in Munich. Since my flight got in before check in time at my hotel, this was a good place to stop to get vests, vignettes, and free maps as well as to check out this amazing BMW dealership.
> 
> Thanks for the info. on the law. It appears you need to wear the vest only if involved in a breakdown, or accident when outside of your vehicle.


That's a great idea. Looks like the ADAC is a short distance (less than 2 miles) from the Welt. Worthwhile side trip on the way to the hotel during the airport transfer with Rolf?


----------



## pawarrant (Jun 15, 2006)

Diesel Power said:


> ...Worthwhile side trip on the way to the hotel during the airport transfer with Rolf?


Yes it is. Rolf's assistant Peter took me there.


----------



## SD ///M4 (Jan 24, 2011)

I laugh when I see people fret about spending $10 rather than $8 on a warnveste or going out of their way to save a buck or a euro for one. When calculated as a percentage of the overall cost of an ED, including the car, the difference has to be tenths or hundreds of a percent. Your vacation time is far more valuable than any time you would spend to save this insignificant amount of money.

As mentioned, they're available at the the Welt for a fairly reasonable cost and this is probably the most convenient place to purchase them, which is where we bought ours. I saw them in one of the petrol stations on the German-Austria border where we stopped and bought our Austrian toll vignette.

People seem to spend way too much time and energy on this. Bottom line, it will be highly unlikely that you will have to use them. And no one is going to stop you and ask to inspect your warnevestes or even whether you have them in the passenger compartment or not.


----------



## Dave 20T (Apr 7, 2013)

SD Z4MR said:


> I laugh when
> 
> People seem to spend way too much time and energy on this. Bottom line, it will be highly unlikely that you will have to use them. And no one is going to stop you and ask to inspect your warnevestes or even whether you have them in the passenger compartment or not.


Part of the joy of a trip is planning. What poses to strike in front of the car, what Torx bit to bring to remove the warning triangle bracket, etc. Sometimes it seems funny to others.


----------



## threeOh (Apr 24, 2003)

SD Z4MR said:


> I laugh when I see people fret about spending $10 rather than $8 on a warnveste or going out of their way to save a buck or a euro for one. When calculated as a percentage of the overall cost of an ED, including the car, the difference has to be tenths or hundreds of a percent. Your vacation time is far more valuable than any time you would spend to save this insignificant amount of money.
> 
> As mentioned, they're available at the the Welt for a fairly reasonable cost and this is probably the most convenient place to purchase them, which is where we bought ours. I saw them in one of the petrol stations on the German-Austria border where we stopped and bought our Austrian toll vignette.
> 
> People seem to spend way too much time and energy on this. Bottom line, it will be highly unlikely that you will have to use them. And no one is going to stop you and ask to inspect your warnevestes or even whether you have them in the passenger compartment or not.


Logic does not always fit into these discussions. Italy has had a vest requirement for years (I believe they may have been the first). I probably spent 10 years driving in Italy with no vests in the car, crossed borders or was stopped by police 100's of times and have yet to have an issue related to not having vests. The chances of an ED traveler even seeing a cop car are remote (does not apply to Austria). Let alone seeing one while stopped attending to whatever outside a car.

Its a good rule and I finally bought 4 for our Touring. They are in the back and "accessible". In a sedan or our 2-seaters, forget it.


----------



## Diesel Power (Oct 2, 2010)

SD Z4MR said:


> I laugh when I see people fret about spending $10 rather than $8 on a warnveste or going out of their way to save a buck or a euro for one. When calculated as a percentage of the overall cost of an ED, including the car, the difference has to be tenths or hundreds of a percent. Your vacation time is far more valuable than any time you would spend to save this insignificant amount of money.
> 
> As mentioned, they're available at the the Welt for a fairly reasonable cost and this is probably the most convenient place to purchase them, which is where we bought ours. I saw them in one of the petrol stations on the German-Austria border where we stopped and bought our Austrian toll vignette.
> 
> People seem to spend way too much time and energy on this. Bottom line, it will be highly unlikely that you will have to use them. And no one is going to stop you and ask to inspect your warnevestes or even whether you have them in the passenger compartment or not.


The Boy Scouts motto "Be Prepared" is instilled in me.


----------

