The German term Rettungsgasse, known in Spanish as emergency road, rescue corridor or emergency lane,[1]​ is a road enabled in the middle of a multi-lane road (such as motorways or expressways) to allow the passage of emergency services in case of accidents, delays or traffic jams. This maneuver is mandatory in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Hungary; and optional in Switzerland and Slovenia.

When a sudden slowdown occurs on highways, expressways and multi-lane roads, drivers must form a clearing lane so that emergency and recovery vehicles can proceed without being blocked by traffic. This emergency corridor must begin as soon as sudden braking occurs and without waiting for the arrival of the first emergency vehicles, which will generally circulate between the two leftmost lanes and never on the shoulder, unlike other countries such as Spain or France.[2]​.

In Europe, nine countries have adopted this system: Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg,[3]​ Poland,[4]​ Slovenia, Switzerland and Belgium, with this country being the last to include the Rettungsgasse in the highway code since October 2020.[5]​ In the case of Germany and Austria, the number of available lanes is indifferent: drivers in the left lane drive as far to the left as possible, while everyone else drives as far to the left as possible. right possible, being able to invade the shoulder of the platform. In the Czech Republic, the principle is the other way around: the second rightmost lane must be kept clear.[6] The Rettungsgasse must be wide enough to allow large vehicles such as fire trucks, cranes, and even snowplows to pass through traffic.

Failure to comply with the Rettungsgasse in Germany is punishable, as of August 1, 2018, with a fine of between 200 and 320 euros.[7][8]​.

• - Formation of a rescue lane in Germany.

• - Formation of the Rettungsgasse.

• - Two-lane Rettungsgasse.

• - Three-lane Rettungsgasse.

• - Four-lane Rettungsgasse.

• - Rettungsgasse with vehicles driving on the shoulder.

• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia category on Rettungsgasse "commons:Category:Emergency corridors (traffic congestion)").

• - Procedure to form a Couloir de secaurs or rescue corridor on the Luxembourg transport portal.