The Road Traffic Rules Act states that motor and trailer vehicles on Slovenian roads must be equipped with the prescribed winter equipment from 15 November 2024 to 15 March 2025, as well as whenever winter conditions arise.
Winter: lower temperatures, shorter days, fog, snow, rain and other winter weather features that make driving difficult.
We need to bear in mind that reaching our destinations will take much longer than under ideal conditions. Braking distances will be longer and roads will host gritters and snow ploughs (especially during snowfall).
Winter equipment
Article 28 of the Road Traffic Rules Act, OG RS, No. 82/2013, states that motor and trailer vehicles on Slovenian roads must be equipped with the prescribed winter equipment during the winter period (from 15 November to 15 March of the following year) and whenever winter conditions arise.
Winter equipment includes the following (Rules on parts and equipment of vehicles, OG RS, No. 44/2013, Article 20):
For two-track motor vehicles with a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 3,500kg and trailer vehicles being towed:
• winter tyres on all wheels, or
• summer tyres and, as accessories, appropriately sized snow chains for drive wheels or chain-equivalent accessories for drive wheels.
• The approval authority in the Republic of Slovenia approves the equivalence of accessories (OG RS, No. 44/2013, Article 22).
• Vehicles with four-wheel drive must have snow chains for at least one axle in the case of permanent 4WD and at least for the permanently engaged axle in the case of selectable 4WD.
• Vehicles using winter equipment as per indent two must have appropriate snow chains or chain-equivalent accessories correctly installed on their drive wheels during winter conditions (Rules on parts and equipment of vehicles, OG RS, No. 44/2013, Article 22).
Fog
From a traffic safety point of view, fog reduces visibility. It is most common in the autumn but also occurs in other seasons. In the winter, when the daylight hours are already shorter, it makes driving more difficult, on top of all the other difficult road conditions.
• Gradually and in time reduce your speed and adjust it according to road visibility
• Increase your safety distance
• Activate fog lamps as needed
DARS recently implemented a number of measures to improve driving safety in reduced visibility.
New traffic signs were placed at problematic sections. A marking system was also implemented on roads with semicircles along the right line and traffic signs.
The optical traffic management system includes road weather stations that trigger an alarm in the event of low visibility, which activates red LED lights to indicate the edge of the road and guide the driver.
In thicker fog, when visibility is dangerously reduced, the lights flash to further remind drivers to be more alert and attentive.
DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS AND FOG LAMPS
Daytime running lamps (or dipped-beam headlights) are mandatory in Slovenia. Daytime running lamps are additional lamps on each vehicle that shine less brightly and come on automatically when you start the engine.
Daytime running lamps are only active at the front, not at the back. Some vehicles are equipped with an automatic system that detects low-light conditions and switches on the dipped-beam headlights (for example in tunnels).
Poor visibility in rainy conditions (spray from under the wheels of the vehicle in front, which creates a water curtain), fog or low sun in the winter pose a problem; spotting non-illuminated vehicles in front is harder for drivers, who may spot them too late, and dipped-beam headlights generally do not activate automatically in these situations. In these cases, it is the driver's responsibility to ensure that their vehicle is visible.
Article 71 of the Road Traffic Rules Act states that drivers must use dipped-beam headlights and activate their rear lights or fog lamps or a combination of both when visibility is low.
Fog lamps are allowed when visibility is less than 50m or when fog lamps act as adjustable headlights.
BLACK ICE
Driving on frozen roads is similar to driving on snowy roads, with the exception that snow is visible while ice blends in very well with the colour of the road; drivers may thus fail to spot black ice until it is too late.
AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF WATER ON THE ROAD
- Aquaplaning is when a tyre loses contact with the surface due to too much water on the road surface.
- In a worst-case scenario, the driver may completely lose control of the vehicle.
- Push the clutch pedal, do not turn the steering wheel, but hold it firmly and do not brake.
- Wait until contact between the tyres and the road is restored.
FINES FOR VIOLATIONS IN THE WINTER AND DURING WINTER CONDITIONS
- EUR 40 for drivers driving a motor vehicle or a trailer vehicle not equipped with the prescribed winter equipment in the winter or during winter conditions or failing to comply with a compulsory snow chains traffic sign.
- EUR 500 and 5 penalty points if a vehicle that does not have the prescribed equipment becomes stuck on the road or hinders traffic. Also if drivers fail to observe traffic signs prohibiting or restricting road traffic on a particular road section in the winter or during winter conditions.
- EUR 200 for drivers who fail to clean their motor vehicle or trailer vehicle. Vehicles must be clear of snow, ice, water or other substances that could scatter or pour off them. The vehicle glass and rear-view mirrors must be clean to enable normal vision for the driver.
- EUR 300 for failing to comply with a traffic sign prohibiting or restricting road traffic on a particular road section in the winter or during winter conditions.
- EUR 1,000 is imposed upon a legal person, an individual sole trader or an individual who performs independent activity (EUR 120 upon their responsible person) if their vehicle does not have appropriate winter equipment in the winter or during winter conditions if their vehicle becomes stuck on the road and hinders traffic due to inappropriate winter equipment and in the event of non-compliance with traffic signs prohibiting or restricting traffic on a particular road section (ZPrCP, OG RS, No. 82/2013, Article 29).
Pursuant to Article 17 of the ZPrCP, a police officer shall prohibit further driving and withdraw a motor vehicle or trailer vehicle from traffic if it does not have the prescribed winter equipment during winter conditions or if it is not clear of snow, ice, water or other substances that could affect the drivability of the vehicle or that could scatter or pour from it or if vehicle glass and rear-view mirrors are not clean. Vehicles shall be withdrawn from traffic until all reasons for which the withdrawal was ordered cease to exist.
In line with Article 29(4) of the ZPrCP, a police officer shall order the removal of a vehicle that is stuck on the road because it does not have the prescribed winter equipment but should have, or is in road traffic when it should not be, if it is not immediately removed from the road by the driver. Removal of a vehicle shall be charged at the expense of the vehicle owner and carried out by an operator of regular road maintenance.
Source: policija.si
Goods vehicles during winter conditions
In line with Article 5 of the Order on road traffic restrictions in the Republic of Slovenia, goods vehicles with trailers, vehicles transporting dangerous goods and vehicles performing special freight transport are not allowed to drive on roads in the Republic of Slovenia during winter conditions, except for motorways and expressways.
The obligation of self-removal for goods vehicles therefore applies. The removal locations are marked with appropriate traffic signs.
Additional winter signs are placed at critical sections (slopes), which prohibit goods vehicle traffic.
Drivers of goods vehicles often disregard the self-removal obligation and traffic signs, so concessionaires ask for assistance from the police, who physically remove them.
The motorway and expressway operator may restrict traffic, in terms of time and space, on these roads due to winter conditions for the above vehicles.
The road operator must inform the public of the imposition of a traffic restriction measure and, where possible, set up traffic signs for the purposes of removal.
A uniform traffic signalisation is used for the removal of vehicles, with only two signs – restrictions applicable for trailers and semi-trailers or for vehicles over 7.5 tonnes.
Goods vehicles are removed from traffic when any of the following conditions are met:
- if more than 20cm of snow is forecast within three hours,
- bora wind over 80km/h,
- on instructions from the police,
- removal abroad,
- a greater number of traffic accidents,
- the road operator's assessment,
- severely reduced visibility.
Winter road maintenance
Even though road maintenance workers do not have the same authority as the police, their road warnings are not an end in itself. We therefore recommend that you follow their instructions, especially during heavy snowfall.
Ploughing snow from roads and sweeping roads is impossible if drivers do not respect the placed signs and especially if lorry drivers do not respect the Road Traffic Rules Act, which prescribes the removal of vehicles from traffic in such cases.
This is why queues of vehicles spanning many kilometres form in the winter on certain road sections and drivers need to wait for many hours. At that time, the roads are full of vehicles in all traffic lanes, making it impossible to clean the road.
In emergencies, the road operator may completely close off a particular motorway or expressway section if:
- more than 30cm snow falls in three hours,
- there are strong winds or bora winds of more than 100km/h,
- there are many traffic accidents or other events,
- visibility is severely reduced.