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Sweden
is very safety conscious when it comes to driving. A multitude
of laws and policies are in place to ensure that drivers,
pedestrians, motorists, cyclists, and wildlife are as safe
as possible around roads.
Speed
Limits
Speed Limits are posted everywhere. They are medium sized
round signs outlined in red with a yellow background and black
numbers.
For example:
If you speed in Sweden, you risk a heavy fine, and if over
a certain limit, losing your driving license. Sweden is 54%
forest, so there are a lot of "Animal" warning signs
posted. These signs must be taken seriously. You should be
extra careful when driving around sunset and dawn.
Alcohol
Even very small amounts of alcohol can affect your driving
ability. Sweden has a very strict law that entitles the Police
to give a Breathalyzer test, even if there is no reason to
suspect that you are driving under the influence of alcohol.
If your blood level alcohol content is 0.2 promille or the
content of alcohol in your exhaled breath is 0.10mg/l or more,
this will result in a stiff fine, a prison sentence or both.
You will also lose your driving license. Alcohol also remains
in your system the day after you drink it. When attending
a party in a Swedish home, it is customary for the hostess
to ask who's driving; and non-alcoholic beverages are always
provided.
Do Not Drink and Drive.
Seat Belts
Whenever you are sitting in a car, you must use a seat
belt. Children under the age of seven must sit in a child
safety seat. All other children must use a seatbelt. It is
forbidden to use a back-facing child safety seat in a car
that has a passenger side airbag.
Headlights
It is the law in Sweden that you must be seen when you
are driving. All vehicles must drive with at least dimmed
headlights (daytime running lights), always, day and night.
Snow
Tires
The use of snow tires is mandatory between December 1 and
March 31. You have the choice of studded tires (good for ice
and packed snow, but are noisy and drag on clear roads), or
stud-free snow tires made of a very soft rubber (which are
only good for three years, and also drag on clear roads).
Due to the country's northerly climate, experience in driving
on ice and snow is recommended before negotiating Sweden's
winter roads.
Driving License
Swedish
National Road Administration is responsible for the entire
road system in Sweden including the process of obtaining a
driving license.
All
residents of Sweden are required to have a Swedish driver's
license to drive a car here. However, you are allowed to drive
with your American driving license for a period of one year
from the date you received your residency permit. Temporary
residents can apply to extend this by an additional two years.
You
will need to take both the theory (written) and practical
(road) tests as well as a "skid road" course to
obtain a Swedish driver's license. There are no exceptions
to this rule. Americans are considered to be unsafe drivers
by Swedish standards. Traffic, road, and parking signs tend
to be more complicated here, and the reads narrower than those
in eth U.S.
- Obtaining
a Swedish driver's license is a big deal, and if often listed
on resumes and CV's.
- You
do not have to forfeit your American license.
In
order to obtain a Swedish category B driving license, (car
with a max gross weight of 3.5 tons), you must:
-
Have
a permit.
-
Be
a permanent resident of Sweden or have been studying in
Sweden for at least six months
-
You
must be
a) 16 years of age for a Category
A1 license
b) 18 years of age for a Category
A, B, C or E license
c) 21 years of age for a Category
D license
-
You
must have passed the driving test (theory and practical).
A
driving license issued in another EU country (Denmark, Finland,
Norway, Iceland, Germany, France, Great Britain, Belgium,
the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Spain, Italy,
Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Austria), carries the same validity
in Sweden as in the country of issue regardless of how long
the holder has resided in Sweden. If the holder of such a
license is a permanent resident of Sweden, it may be exchanged
for an equivalent Swedish driving license; in which case you
lose your foreign license. This is not, however, a requirement.
Your
permanent residency, whether you have been studying in Sweden,
and whether you already hold an EU country driving license
will be checked when you take the driving test.
Additional
important information
Anecdotal
Information from Two Who Have Been There 2003
By
Melina Antypas & Theresa Mack
The
best advice we have for we have for obtaining a Swedish driver's
license is...study, study, study! We both studied hard and
failed the test the first time by only one and three points
respectively. We have both been driving for decades, but holding
an American driving license is not considered to be a comprehensive
enough reflection of safe driving knowledge. We have heard
that it is very common to fail the first time. In fact the
receptionist where Melina took her y theory test actually
said something like, "...the next time to you take the
test..." and this was before she even took the test.
When Melina asked what she meant by "next time"
the reception said, "Oh, I mean if you don't pass today."
It seems almost expected to fail on the first try. You can
go to driving school and pay a fortune for lessons, or order
an English copy of the Swedish rules and self- examination
books from your local driving school. Cost: SEK 550. You can
borrow the books from a library. Theresa has indeed passed
the test and she strongly recommends the Bonnier's Trafikskola
CD set for anyone planning to take the test in Swedish. The
CD's contains are in Swedish and cost SEK 700 for 2 cds with
lessons and sample tests.
To
get a Swedish license you must get permission to get a license
(a permit) and you can apply for that through Vägverket
over the phone. Cost: SEK 275. You have to complete a health
form, and you must have a signed certificate from an eye doctor.
This information is required as part of the permit process.
Then you must take the written test. These are administered
at selected Vägverket offices, and require an appointment.
The appointment can be made by telephone; a list of offices
are shown on the Vägverket
web site. Be aware that cancellations within 24
hours will be charged anyway, unless a doctor's note is provided. The
cost is SEK 210, but you can pay SEK 800 to cover the written
test, the practical test, and the processing fee for your
new license. The computer-based test is available in a number
of different languages, so simply request your preferred language
when you make the appointment. There are 70 questions, 65
real questions and 5 "control" questions they check
for use on future tests. You have to get 52 right to pass.
There is only one right answer to each question, but don't
let that fool you, they are tricky in the way they are presented
or worded. Key things on the test:
-
rules
for drunk driving (what's the minimum)
-
right
hand rule -- where it applies where it doesn't
-
ALL
road signs
-
weights
and limits for trailers and cars
-
insurance
-
vehicle
registration rules
-
precedence
of conflicting signs/signals (i.e. police, signs, lights,
etc., which you pay attention to when there are multiples).
Then you must do the halkbana, this is a two- to three-hour
course about driving on slippery surfaces. It is not a pass/fail
situation, but a completion certification is required. The
slippery road certificate needs to be presented when you take
the driving test. An appointment for the driving test can
be made before the slippery road test is done, which will
save some time. However, there can be a lag time
there too. If you show up for the road test without your slippery
road certificate, you may forfeit your fee and will need to
re-schedule. There are several places to take the slippery
road course, but here are two that are convenient to Stockholm:
Cost: SEK 1200
Check
gulasidorna
for additional places. Type in "halkbana" as your
search word.
Then
you do the driving test. You are not allowed to schedule this
until after you pass your written test, and the waiting can
be a few weeks, depending on where you live, so you want to
schedule this the day after you pass your written test. It
is required that you take the driving test in a car equipped
with a passenger set of foot pedals, (nope you can't use your
car, unless you are equipped with passenger foot petals that
have passed inspection through, you guessed it, Vägverket).
If you don't have such a car, Vägverket will be happy
to rent you one. Cost: SEK 180.
So, to sum up:
-
Organize
a schedule for yourself: getting the permit, studying,
taking the tests, etc.
-
Study
hard and KNOW the information, don't just memorize answers,
since they are tricky about asking the questions.
-
Expect
to pay about SEK 3700:- in costs not including driving
school lessons.
-
Know
that it can be weeks from the time you call Vägverket
to get a time booked to take either the theory or practical
test, so call early. First and second timers get priority
scheduling, after that it can take up to eight weeks.
You must pay in advance each time you take the test. Bring
a receipt of payment in case payment information has not
been updated, which often happens if you pay within the
week of your scheduled date. Theory test: SEK 210;
Practical Test: SEK 460
Visit
http://www.vv.se/templates/page3____954.aspx
for more information. You can read all the rules, regulations,
processes, as well as download forms and permits for obtaining
a driving license.
Good
Luck!
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