Finland, the frozen paradise of transport: how Spanish lorry drivers drive safely and without worries

Every year, thousands of Spanish transport workers cross Europe to deliver their goods to Finland, a country with quiet traffic and exemplary road safety but with very different regulations to ours.

Driving on Finnish roads, with sub-zero temperatures, slippery surfaces and unpredictable wildlife, requires thorough preparation that goes beyond the mechanical tuning of the lorry.

The first thing to be clear about is that in Finland you drive on the right, and the general speed limit on motorways for lorries is 80 km/h (dropping to 60 km/h in winter on the fastest roads).

Regarding permits, the Spanish EU driving licence is fully valid, but it is advisable to carry the International Driving Permit in case the authorities request it. The documents you need on the road include the valid MOT certificate, the Green Card insurance and the tachograph in perfect working order, as Finnish officers carry out very demanding random checks.

In terms of weights and dimensions, Finland is a very particular case within the European framework. Usually, the general limit for articulated lorries is 40-44 tonnes, but the Nordic country allows up to 76 tonnes with nine axles and a maximum length of 34.5 metres (for special transports, 80 tonnes are reached).

However, foreign hauliers without prior authorisation should know that these higher limits may not apply to their vehicles, so it is prudent not to exceed 40 tonnes unless you have a specific permit.

To provide greater safety for these behemoths, the regulations require advanced systems such as side cameras, autonomous emergency braking and lane control, and axle loads must not exceed 10 tonnes on most conventional roads.

Where the Finnish authorities place the greatest emphasis is on road safety during the cold months. From 1 November to 31 March, the use of winter tyres with the three-peak mountain snowflake mark (3PMSF) is compulsory for all lorries; in addition, vehicles over 3.5 tonnes must carry chains on their driving wheels between 15 October and 31 March. Likewise, it is compulsory to carry a warning triangle and to use dipped headlights permanently (the famous daytime running lights), a measure that is deeply rooted in the country. Lorry drivers must strictly comply with European driving and rest times, monitored by the tachograph, and the maximum permitted blood alcohol level is just 0.5 grams per litre, a very low limit that is applied with absolute rigour.

To ensure that hauliers coming from other parts of Europe respect these regulations, Finland deploys joint checks at borders and entry ports, such as Hanko or Helsinki, where the police and the Traficom agency inspect documentation, the tachograph and the condition of tyres.

The experts consulted from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) stress that Spanish drivers should pay special attention to winter speed and wildlife warning signs, as reindeer and elk cause thousands of accidents every year, often with fatal consequences for the lorry driver.

Furthermore, they recommend checking the road condition and weather report before each departure via the official website “Fintraffic”, which offers traffic camera images and warnings of icy sections in real time.

As a final piece of advice from the experts, in the event of being caught in a snowstorm, it is essential to carry food, water and a thermal blanket in the cab, as well as an emergency telephone with a charged battery.

The Finnish authorities apply the principle of mutual trust within the EU, but do not hesitate to impose heavy fines on those who fail to comply with local regulations, especially regarding winter tyres and driving times. Therefore, the best recommendation for a Spanish haulier is to consult the official Traficom guide before crossing the Baltic and coordinate with their company to adapt the vehicle to extreme conditions, because in Finland road safety is not a suggestion, but a non-negotiable legal obligation.