Italy’s proposed reform of the Highway Code has passed the Chamber of Deputies and is being considered by the Senate. The bill, promoted by Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, includes tougher measures for some offences, but its overall approach has been criticised for potentially limiting the impact of road-safety enforcement.
Drivers convicted of serious drink-driving offences would have to install an alcohol interlock for two to three years. The device prevents a vehicle from starting if it detects alcohol. For drug-driving, the bill would amend the current rule: instead of requiring proof that a driver was impaired at the time of a police check, a positive drug test could be sufficient if the Senate approves the text without changes.
The draft also increases penalties for using a phone while driving. Existing fines range from €165 to €660, alongside five licence points and possible suspension for repeat offenders within two years. Under the reform, suspension could last up to 120 days. However, enforcement would still largely depend on officers witnessing the offence directly or investigating after a crash, as the bill does not provide for electronic detection devices.
A short-term suspension could also apply to other violations, including illegal overtaking, driving against traffic, failing to yield or obey traffic lights, and improper use of seat belts or child seats. The measure would be limited to drivers with fewer than 20 licence points who are stopped committing an offence; the article says this group represents about 2% of motorists.
The article also questions provisions affecting young drivers and speeding. New drivers would be allowed to drive more powerful cars for their first three years: the permitted power-to-weight ratio would rise from 55 kW per tonne to 75 kW per tonne. For repeated speeding offences recorded within an hour on the same road section under the same authority, the bill would allow a single fine, increased by one-third, rather than separate penalties.
Speed-camera rules are another point of contention. A ruling by Italy’s Court of Cassation on April 19 said a device’s approval alone was not enough if it had not also been formally certified. The article notes that this could lead to challenges against speeding fines. A forthcoming decree from the Transport Ministry is also expected to impose restrictions on where cameras can be installed, including requiring documentation that officers cannot safely stop vehicles at the location.
Under the proposed criteria described in the article, cameras would generally not be allowed on roads where the speed limit is more than 20 km/h below the standard maximum for that road type. In urban areas, they would be prohibited where the limit is below 50 km/h. The article says this could mean that enforcing 30 km/h limits near schools or hospitals would require police patrols rather than automatic cameras.
Municipalities would also have to justify new 30 km/h zones to the Transport Ministry. The article argues that lower speeds reduce the severity of crashes and cites research indicating that, in a sudden-stop scenario, a car travelling at 30 km/h needs 13 metres to stop, compared with 28 metres at 50 km/h. It also reports that the risk of a fatal impact with a pedestrian rises sharply at the higher speed.
The reform would affect cycling rules as well. It would make provisions introduced in 2020 for cycle lanes and other bicycle measures inapplicable, pending a new regulation that the article says would narrow their use. Overall, the criticism presented is that the bill strengthens some penalties while making certain forms of speed enforcement and lower-speed street policies harder to apply.
Sources: Corriere della Sera.