Drastic penalties Italy makes phone calls at the wheel really expensive
More than 3,000 traffic fatalities per year: this is why travelers are now also to be asked to pay heavily for traffic offences in Italy. Not only drivers, but also tourists in city centers.
13.12.2024, 22:35
dpa
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- Italy is significantly increasing fines for traffic offenses from Saturday.
- Alcohol, drugs or driving while on the phone can be very expensive in future.
- The government's aim is to reduce the high number of road deaths of 3,000 a year.
Driving too fast, using a cell phone at the wheel, one glass too many: on your next vacation in Italy, it can be really expensive. This Saturday, new rules on fines come into force in one of Switzerland's most popular travel destinations. In future, drivers will have to pay at least 250 euros (around 230 francs) if they are caught making a phone call or chatting on their smartphone. For repeat offenders, the fine can increase to up to 1,400 euros (around 1,300 francs) and three months without a driver's license.
With the new rules, the government of right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wants to reduce Italy's high number of more than 3,000 road deaths per year. On a statistical average, this means 52 deaths per million inhabitants - significantly more than in other large EU countries such as Germany (34), Spain (38) or France (48). The amendment to the Road Traffic Act naturally also applies to foreigners.
New rules for e-scooters too
However, it is by no means just car drivers who are affected. Users of e-scooters, which are particularly popular with younger tourists in cities such as Rome and Florence, could also be fined: Anyone rolling around without a helmet will be fined 50 euros (around 46 francs). It costs even more if the indicators, brake lights or license plate are missing - even on rented scooters. The speeding of e-scooters through Italy's often rather narrow streets is a nuisance in many places.
In future, the police are to take particularly tough action when alcohol or drugs are involved. In Italy, the blood alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille: anyone with even a little more than this risks a fine of almost 2200 euros (around 2000 francs) and six months without a driver's license. At more than 0.8 per mille, it gets significantly more expensive, and at more than 1.5 per mille you could even face six months in prison.
"Zero tolerance" for drugs at the wheel
In future, there will even be "zero tolerance" (Transport Minister Matteo Salvini) for driving under the influence of drugs. In extreme cases, anyone caught could face three years without a driver's license. Exceptions only apply if drugs can be used for medical reasons. Speeding drivers will also be punished more severely than ever before: anyone caught speeding at 10 kilometers per hour will be fined 173 euros (around 160 euros).
Also new is the requirement to keep a distance of 1.50 meters when overtaking cyclists. An above-average number of cyclists are killed on the roads in Italy. This is particularly intended to protect the many amateur athletes who ride their racing bikes on Italy's roads, especially at weekends. Stricter penalties also apply to parking in disabled parking spaces.
Lots of trouble with temporary driving bans in city centers
According to an ADAC overview, the new fining rules make Italy one of the countries in Europe that punish road traffic offenses particularly severely. "We are not aware of any other country with a comparably extensive reform for 2025," said a spokesperson. However, other EU countries such as Poland are also currently working on drastically tougher penalties.
However, Transport Minister Salvini defended himself against criticism that the new penalties were excessive. "There are no mega increases in fines," the right-wing populist politician justified himself. Salvini also pointed out that the particularly controversial driving bans in Italy's city centers could only be imposed in future to "protect cultural, artistic, ecological and natural heritage".
The driving bans in restricted traffic zones (ZTL) often only apply at certain times. Time and again, foreigners only notice the prohibition signs once they have already driven into the zone. The ticket often arrives after the vacation has already been over for months because it takes time to evaluate the surveillance cameras.
