If you’ve ever taken a road trip to a new city, then you know how weird other drivers can be. If you’re from a town where people won’t merge unless there’s a ton of space, then the last-second-lane-changers from Boston will shock you. If you took the highway everywhere at home, then you’d be astounded at how horrifyingly backed up Los Angeles’ highways can be. If you’ve ever driven in another country though, you may have encountered some rather weird traffic laws.
Here are a few of the strangest, most culturally-shocking legal statutes our legislative research could find.
The French Must Keep Breathalyzers in Their Vehicles at All Times.
Believe it or not, France requires its motorists to keep a breathalyzer in their vehicles at all times. If a law enforcement agent asks to see it, and they don’t have one, they could get fined 11 euros.
It’s Legal to Drink and Drive in Costa Rica.
In Costa Rica, you can have a beer while you drive. That is, just so long as you don’t get drunk. Even though it’s okay to drink while you’re driving, the Costa Rican legal statute says that motorists with a BAC of 0.5% will go to jail.
It’s Illegal to Ride With a Drunk Driver in Japan.
Chances are you’re going to be the one driving if you’re sober, but if for some reason you do decide to let a drunk friend drive you, then in Japan you’d not only risk your life, but legal trouble, too. Sober passengers in a car with a drunk driver will also be punished under the legal statute’s full extent, too.
It might be easy to point and make fun of these legal statutes, but let’s not forget that the U.S. has its fair share of bizarre traffic laws, too. For example, did you know that cars are illegal to in Las Vegas? Back in the early 20th century, horses were the dominant mode of transportation, and would get scared of cars, so lawmakers made them illegal. Now, they just ignore the legal statute since its legislative intent is obsolete.
But now it’s your turn to share. If you’ve ever encountered a bizarre legal statute in your own legislative history research, feel free to leave it in the comments! More can be found here. Check out this website for more.
