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    What should tourists know about driving in Lapland in winter?

    Winter road safety advice for visitors in Lapland.

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    Short answer

    A Liikenneturva survey found that nearly three in five Lapland residents see tourists' dangerous traffic behaviour as a safety problem, and even more feel that driving tourists cannot handle northern conditions. Liikenneturva says visitors admiring snow, reindeer or northern lights can forget the rules, stop in unsafe places or walk across the road carelessly. Ice, snow and darkness may be unfamiliar, and even using lights correctly can be new. Liikenneturva's English winter driving leaflet tells drivers to take wildlife warning signs seriously and to call 112 after an accident or a collision with a reindeer.

    Transport, roads, car rental

    Why

    1. Stop only in safe places, not on the carriageway.
    2. Take wildlife warning signs seriously.
    3. Call 112 after hitting a reindeer.

    Details

    Liikenneturva has produced English material for tourism businesses, car rental firms and municipalities to give to visitors.

    Tip

    If you want to photograph the northern lights, drive to a proper parking area first.

    What may differ

    Liikenneturva says pedestrians should not walk in the middle of the road or slide down hills on streets in Lapland towns.

    Common misconception

    Lapland roads are empty, so you can stop anywhere.

    What actually happens

    Stopping in unsafe places endangers you and others.

    People also ask

    • Are there reindeer on the roads in Lapland?
    • When do winter speed limits start in Lapland?
    • What to do if you hit a moose in Finland

    Sources

    This answer is for reference only. Traffic rules and fees change, so check Traficom, Liikenneturva or the police before you drive.

    Transport, roads, car rental

    • Do foreign cars need a country sticker in Finland?

      The Automobile and Touring Club of Finland says a nationality sign is required on foreign cars in Finland, unless the vehicle is registered in a country that is party to the Geneva or Vienna Road Traffic Convention and carries EU number plates with the country code.

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    • What colour are motorway and main road signs in Finland?

      The Automobile and Touring Club of Finland (Autoliitto) says main roads in Finland have blue direction signs with white text, while motorways have green signs with white text.

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    • Does E10 petrol increase fuel consumption?

      VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland tested six used E10-compatible cars from model years 1999–2010 in laboratory conditions in 2011.

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    • Which petrol should you use in Finland, 95E10 or 98E5?

      Finnish pumps sell two main petrol grades: 95E10, with an octane rating of at least 95 and up to 10% ethanol, and 98E5, with at least 98 octane and up to 5% ethanol.

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