New speed limits on Romania's national roads and expressways in 2024

With the introduction of the first kilometers of expressways in Romania and the amendments to the Traffic Code, the speed limit regime on national roads has undergone significant adjustments. These changes come with a much stricter penalty regime designed to deter dangerous driving and reduce the number of serious road accidents.

This article explains the legal context, the updated limits by vehicle category, and practical recommendations for drivers navigating Romania’s evolving road network.

Legal context and legislative changes

In April 2022, Romania marked an important milestone with the inauguration of the first expressway kilometers. A few weeks later, in May 2022, the President of Romania promulgated the Law for the modification of Government Emergency Ordinance no. 195/2002 regarding traffic on public roads.

These legislative changes created a new legal framework for developing road infrastructure, establishing a distinct regime of traffic on expressways, different from the regime applicable to classic national roads. The decision to raise speed limits for certain road categories was controversial, considering Romania remains at the top of Europe in fatal road accidents.

Speed limits for vehicles in categories A and B

For passenger cars and motorcycles in categories A and B, the maximum speeds allowed outside built-up areas are as follows:

Highways

130 km/h - Maximum speed on Romanian highways, applicable to all completed and open highway sections.

Expressways

120 km/h - The maximum limit on expressways, representing a significant increase from the former 100 km/h limit. This road category, recently introduced in Romania, represents an intermediate standard between traditional national roads and highways, with superior technical features: wider lanes, physical separation of traffic in some sections, and controlled access.

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European roads (E)

100 km/h - The maximum speed on roads that are part of the European road network (marked with the letter E). These arteries generally have a higher standard with wider lanes and better route geometry.

Other road categories

90 km/h - The general limit for national, county, and local roads not meeting the above categories.

Speed limits for vehicles in categories C, D and D1

For freight and passenger transport vehicles (categories C, D and D1), limits are reduced compared to cars for obvious safety reasons:

• Highways: 110 km/h
• Expressways: 100 km/h (increase from 90 km/h)
• European roads (E): 90 km/h
• Other road categories: 80 km/h

These limits take into account the greater mass of the vehicles, longer braking distances, and different dynamic behavior compared with passenger cars.

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Speed limits for vehicles in categories A1, B1 and C1

For light motorcycles, light vehicles, and light freight vehicles, limits are even more restrictive:

• Highways: 90 km/h
• Expressways: 85 km/h (increase from 80 km/h)
• European roads (E): 80 km/h
• Other road categories: 70 km/h

These restrictions are justified by the technical characteristics of vehicles in these categories, which typically have reduced performance in stability, braking, and emergency handling.

System of fines under the 2022 Traffic Code

Value of the fine point

In 2022 and continuing into 2024, the value of a fine point remains fixed at 145 RON. This value has not changed since 2017 and represents 10% of the gross average wage for that year (1450 RON).

Although there were initiatives to raise the fine point value to 255 RON, these were not implemented, with the value remaining at 145 RON per point.

Classes of fines

The sanctioning system is structured into five distinct classes of fines:

Class I - between 2 and 3 fine points (290-435 RON)

Class II - between 4 and 5 fine points (580-725 RON)

Class III - between 6 and 8 fine points (870-1160 RON)

Class IV - between 9 and 20 fine points (1305-2900 RON)

Class V (applicable to legal entities) - between 21 and 100 fine points (3045-14500 RON)

Penalties for speeding

Drivers detected driving above legal speed limits fall into Class IV fines, with penalties ranging from 9 to 20 fine points, i.e., between 1305 and 2900 RON.

The severity of the sanction depends on how much the speed limit was exceeded:

• Minor exceedances (10-20 km/h over the limit) are penalized with values from the lower end of the range
• Moderate exceedances (20-40 km/h over the limit) incur more substantial fines
• Major exceedances (over 40-50 km/h) are fined at the maximum and may lead to suspension of the driving license

Practical implications and recommendations

Identifying the type of road

It is essential for drivers to correctly identify the road category they are on to observe the corresponding speed limit. Traffic signs and road markings must be followed strictly:

• Expressways are signposted with specific signs and have distinctive features
• European roads are marked with the letter “E” followed by a number
• Highways are clearly marked and have restricted access

Adapting speed to conditions

Even though legal limits represent the maximum speeds allowed, drivers should adapt their speed to:

• Weather conditions (rain, fog, snow, ice)
• Road surface condition (potholes, irregularities, ongoing works)
• Traffic density
• Reduced visibility
• The technical capabilities of their own vehicle

Expanded legal consequences

Beyond ordinary fines, speeding can also lead to:

• Suspension of the driving license (90 days for serious exceedances)
• Reinstatement of 3-6 penalty points from the license
• In extreme cases, there may be criminal liability for seriously endangering others on the road

Future outlook

As Romania expands its expressway and highway network, it is likely that the speed limit system will undergo further adjustments. Any legislative modification should, however, keep the primary objective in view: reduce the number of accidents and improve road safety.

Authorities rely on improved road infrastructure, a tougher sanction system, and more effective traffic monitoring to contribute to a reduction in road accident victims and to the overall improvement of driving culture in Romania.