Requirement to Carry First Aid Supplies
Section 35h of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) governs the carrying of first-aid supplies in motor vehicles. Since January 1, 2015, the first-aid kit in the car must comply with the updated DIN standard 13164. It must contain, for example: 1 roll of adhesive tape (5 m x 2.5 cm), a 14-piece bandage set, 4 quick-release wound dressings (10 cm x 6 cm), 1 small bandage pack (K), a rescue blanket (210 cm x 160 cm), etc. The regulation in the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations also specifies how the first-aid kit must be stored. The first-aid supplies must be kept in a container designed to adequately protect the contents from dust and moisture, as well as from fuels and lubricants.
Fines
The driver faces a fine of just 5 EUR if the vehicle is operated in violation of a regulation regarding the required first-aid supplies. Vehicle owners may also face a fine if they permit or even require that no first-aid supplies be carried in the vehicle; for passenger cars, this fine amounts to 10 EUR. It is also an administrative offense to fail to present first-aid supplies (an item required to be carried pursuant to § 31b No. 2 StVZO) or to refuse to hand them over for inspection (§ 69a(5) No. 4b, §§ 24 StVG).
If a fine is imposed due to an expired first-aid kit, the fine notice should not be accepted if the first-aid supplies are still usable, i.e., have been replaced.
Shelf Life
The shelf life of a vehicle first-aid kit is generally 4–5 years. In practice, first-aid kits in passenger cars are often expired, which is why the expiration date should be checked. The expiration date is usually printed on the back. Therefore, both failing to carry a first-aid kit and carrying one that has expired are subject to fines. The contents of the first-aid kit then no longer meet the minimum requirements of DIN, especially since medical devices, according to Section 4(1)(2) of the Medical Devices Act, are no longer to be used once the expiration date has passed. With old first-aid supplies, there is a risk that they are contaminated with germs. Since accidents can often be a matter of life and death, it is worth having a valid first-aid kit on hand; it costs only about 10 EUR.
Exceptions for Certain Vehicle Types
Motorcycles and tractors or machinery used in agricultural or forestry operations are, incidentally, exempt from the requirement to carry first-aid kits. For these exempt vehicle types, storing first-aid supplies would be difficult, or they are statistically less prone to accidents.
Consequences for vehicle inspections
During the general inspection, the vehicle is checked to ensure that the required first-aid supplies are present. If the first-aid kit is incomplete, items have expired, or are missing entirely, this is considered a minor deficiency, so the inspection sticker is still issued. A follow-up inspection to ensure the owner has corrected the deficiency is usually not conducted.
If administrative fine proceedings are initiated against you, it is essential to seek the assistance of a Lawyer specializing in traffic law.
The statements represent initial information that was current for the law applicable in Germany at the time of initial publication. The legal situation may have changed since then. Furthermore, the information provided cannot replace individual advice on a specific matter. Please contact us for this purpose.