European Consumer Centres Network TOURISM IN LITHUANIA

European Consumer Centres Network
TOURISM IN LITHUANIA
This brochure will provide you with information on driving in Lithuania. You
will find practical advice and important legal information covering the
different topics. We have tried to include all the relevant information
concerning travel to Lithuania and your stay in Lithuania; however the
information provided is not fully detailed on all points and should be viewed
as a guide not as a verbatim statement of the law.
Driving in Lithuania
Borders
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The Lithuanian road system is well developed and it was given a major renovation under
“Via Baltica” project improving the highway linking Helsinki to Warsaw via Tallinn, Riga and
Kaunas.
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To cross Lithuanian border you can via international border crossing points:
from Western Europe side via Lazdijai and Kalvarijos;
from Latvia - Butinge, Kalviai, Salociai, Buknaiciai , Obeliai, Smelyne;
from Kaliningrad Area - Nida, Panemune and Kybartai;
from Belorussia - Lavoriskes, Medininkai, Raigardas and Salcininkai.
Documents
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Drivers should have to present documents to police when drivers are stopped.
Documents required as follows: driver’s license and car registration certificate. Insurance is
presented if a police asks to. EU driver’s license or International driver’s license is accepted for
driving in Lithuania.
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The minimum driving of a car age is 18 years.
Petrol/Fuel
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You will find petrol stations in Lithuania all offering unleaded petrol as well as diesel and
gas fuel-filing stations. There are automatic machine petrol stations also. You have to have some
Lithuanian money bills, which you have to insert into machine if you want to fill up a tank of your
vehicle. Some of petrol stations provide necessary repair services.
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Speed limit
Speed limits, unless otherwise indicated, are:
50 km/h - in towns and settlements,
90 km/h - on country roads,
110 km/h - on highways (from 1 October to 1 May),
130 km/h - on highways (from 1 May to 1 October)
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Police fines for speeding depend on exceeding the limit and vary from 40 to 2500 Litas.
Be aware also that, depending on the speed, your license can be confiscated (for speed equal to,
or exceeding 50 km/h over the limit).
Drinking and driving
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The legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.2 gr/1000cm for drivers with less that two years driving
experience who are driving goods or passenger vehicles. The legal alcohol limit for other drivers
is 0.4 gr/1000 cm.There is zero tolerance for drink driving and those found over the limit face a
fine and possible imprisonment.
♦
Lights
Cars must keep headlights lit throughout the day and night all year.
Safety
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Drivers and all passengers in a front or rear seats must wear seat belts. There must be
one safety belt per passenger. In the event of a police check, there will be a fine for anyone not
wearing a safety belt.
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Children under 12 are not allowed to sit in the front seat.
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The use of a mobile phone while driving (unless it is “hands-free”) is banned. In case of
police check, you may be fined up.
Motorcycles
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Use of dipped headlights during the day and night compulsory. Wearing of crash helmets
compulsory for both driver and passenger. Child under 12 can not travel as a passenger.
Parking
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Parking-meters are common throughout Lithuania. In larger cities and especially in
Kaunas, these parking-meters are increasingly often operated with special credit cards.
Otherwise be sure to have enough currency! Unless indicated otherwise, parking is free of charge
from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. The tariff and time limit are written on the machine.
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Important: illegally parked vehicles may be wheel-clamped or towed.
Special features
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First aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle and warning vest is compulsory to have. It
is recommended to carry an assortment of spares for vehicle, such as fan belt, replacement bulbs
and spark plugs.
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In addition to the original vehicle registration document it is recommended that an
International Certificate for Motor Vehicles (ICMV) be also carried.
Other special information
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Never leave handbags and other attractive items in obvious view, even when you are in
the car and never leave valuable belongings.
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Winter conditions can be severe in Lithuania, so it is important to make sure your car is
prepared with the correct equipment. Winter tires are a legal requirement in Lithuania between
10 November and 1 April.
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Please note! There are fixed radar traffic detectors all over the country
which photograph vehicles not complying with the speed limits. The positions of
these radar controls are indicated with this sign.
Traffic rules
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Drive on the right.
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Priority to traffic coming from the right applies, unless there is a road marking that you
have a priority.
Car rental
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If you rent a vehicle, you should know that it is always the paper contract which you sign
in the agency when picking up the car that prevails. This is especially true for prior bookings
made via Internet. Therefore you should always verify that the final contract includes all the
options which you prior selected on Internet. Do not hesitate to take time to read again the
contract, to ask questions on the coverage of insurances signed etc.
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Have a close look at the car and report immediately any damage, bump etc. you
discover.
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Another advice: ask for the opening hours of the agency, to be able to return the car in
person. If you leave the vehicle on the parking of the company outside the opening hours, you
can be held responsible for damages caused to the vehicle.
Traffic accident
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If you are involved in an accident in Lithuania, you must report about that to police and
stay at the accident place if:
a person was injured or was killed in an accident;
there were more than two vehicles in an accident;
there was caused material damages and there is no victim in an accident place at that
moment.
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Otherwise both parties of an accident agree on circumstances of an accident and fulfill a
declaration of a traffic accident. A declaration of an accident you can get in an insurance
company, police offices, and cars of police officers. If you do not have any traffic accident
declaration, you can paint a scheme of an accident on a plane paper, write all the circumstances.
Both parties must sign the document.
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If one of an accident parties refuses to sign, take the details of any witnesses or police
officers.
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Once declaration has been successfully filled in, you have three working days to return it
to your insurer.
EUROPEAN CONSUMER CENTRE OF LITHUANIA
telephone: 00 370 5 2650368
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.ecc.lt
For further information, the European Consumer Centres (ECCs) will be pleased to
help you. You can find further information and a complete list of all ECCs under:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/consumers/redress/ecc_network/index_en.htm