A new Highway Code with lighter penalties but zero tolerance for dangerous behavior. And the age limit for driving trucks and buses has been raised to 70. The Council of Ministers has approved the amendments to the text as part of the revision requested by Minister Matteo Salvini, following consultations with over one hundred operators and industry associations.

"The rationalization of penalties," in addition to the suspension of the automatic biennial inflation adjustment, involves a "rounding down" of the amounts compared to the current code: the most common minimum fines of 26 and 42 euros are reduced to 25 and 40 euros, respectively, while fines of 83 and 87 euros are reduced to 80 euros, explains the Ministry of Transport.

Among the main changes is the "indefinite ban on riding for those traveling without insurance," which includes third-party liability coverage for damage caused to third parties. Helmets and license plates are also mandatory for riders' e-bikes, which are different from pedal-assisted bikes with a maximum continuous power output of 0.25 kW. However, carrying a paper license and vehicle registration document while riding will no longer be required, as they can be checked electronically by law enforcement.

Motorcyclists will also be able to use the emergency lane on highways in the event of accidents or traffic delays, while electric scooters will be banned from driving if they obstruct or pose a danger to pedestrians. There are also new rules regarding the notification of traffic violations, to protect drivers and their right to defense: with the new law, municipalities will have 45 days, instead of 90, to notify traffic violations when the violation is made remotely and without immediate notification, the Ministry of Defense explains. The new Code also aims to recover unpaid sums from foreign drivers, introduces mandatory insurance according to Italian regulations for foreigners driving in Italy for more than 30 days, and simplifies procedures for the Unified European Disability Permit (CUDE). All municipalities will be required to join the national platform to ensure the permit is recognized throughout Italy. Failure to comply will prevent them from using remote enforcement devices for violations relating to reserved parking and restricted traffic zones (ZTLs).

(Unioneonline)

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