Romania set to introduce 'zipper rule' in Traffic Code

A proposal to introduce the "zipper rule" into Romania’s Traffic Code has been tacitly adopted by the Senate and now awaits a vote in the Chamber of Deputies, Biziday.ro reported. The rule would require drivers to alternate in allowing cars from a closing lane to merge into the remaining open lane when the road narrows, with the goal of easing congestion.

According to the draft law, failing to comply would be considered a traffic violation and would be punishable by a Class I fine, equivalent to 2 or 3 penalty points.

The text states that “when, on roads with multiple lanes in the same direction, one lane becomes unusable due to an obstacle, narrowing, or other causes, drivers in the adjacent lane must allow vehicles from the affected lane to merge, in alternating order.”

The initiators argue that the "zipper rule" helps maintain traffic flow in areas where two lanes merge into one, mimicking the interlocking pattern of a zipper. They highlight that this system has already been adopted in countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Slovakia.

While the rule does not pose a major safety issue, they say, its violation disrupts traffic fluidity and should be penalized accordingly, without being treated as a severe offense.

The Senate passed the measure tacitly, meaning it was neither debated nor voted on directly in plenary session before the legal deadline expired. The final decision now rests with the Chamber of Deputies.

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