Germany Italy makes traffic offenses really expensive
Italy has drastically increased the fines for a whole range of traffic offenses. Anyone caught making a phone call or chatting while driving with a smartphone in their hand must now pay at least 250 euros. In the event of a repeat offense, the fine can be as high as 1,400 euros. Speeding offenders and drivers who drive with too much alcohol also risk significantly higher fines than before.
14.12.2024, 08:51
SDA
The new catalog of fines has been in force since this Saturday. With the tougher rules, the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wants to reduce Italy's high number of more than 3,000 road deaths per year. The changes also apply to foreigners driving on Italian roads. Italy is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Europe.
New rules for e-scooters too
However, not only car drivers are affected. Users of e-scooters, which are particularly popular with younger tourists in cities such as Rome and Florence, can also be fined: Anyone rolling around without a helmet will be fined 50 euros. It costs even more if indicators, brake lights or license plates are missing - even on rented scooters.
In future, the police will be particularly strict when alcohol is involved. In Italy, as in Germany, the blood alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille: anyone with even a little more than this risks a fine of almost 2,200 euros and six months without a driver's license. With a blood alcohol level of more than 0.8 per mille, it gets significantly more expensive, and with more than 1.5 per mille you could even face six months in prison.
1.50 meters distance when overtaking cyclists
Another new rule is that drivers must 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. Stricter penalties also apply to parking in disabled parking spaces.
