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Municipalities will be able to establish downward speed limits only under certain conditions, insurance for scooters arrives.
- With the definitive green light, it will be more difficult to establish Zone 30 in the city as done in Bologna.
- Restrictions on scooters: insurance and warning lights are required.
- Possible special bans in UNESCO areas, including those outside the city.
Very high fines for those who do wrong while driving. But also many limitations to micromobility, and to mayors who want to establish them zones at 30 km per hour in their cities. The new Traffic Laws from today it is definitive law, after having been passed by the Council of Ministers a year ago and approved at first reading by the Chamber at the end of March. A long process that did not serve to remedy some of the many criticisms immediately raised by citizens and associations who advocate more sustainable mobility, especially in the city, but also sometimes by motorists themselves.
A highway code against Zone 30
The 30 km/h zones, for example, which in many European cities have become a symbol of safety and sustainability: with the new law they risk remaining a mirage in Italy. We all remember the controversy of the Minister of Transport Matteo Salvini with the mayor of Bologna, Matteo Lepore, when the Emilian capital officially became “city 30”. With the new code, municipalities will have to respect more stringent criteria to establish these areas, which will only be allowed in the presence of “particular conditions” that justify the reduction of the speed limit, such as proximity to schools, hospitals or other sensitive structures. This makes the widespread adoption of 30 km/h policies across entire neighborhoods more difficult, leaving room for local interpretations and possible litigation. Curiously, among other things, the introduction of less autonomy at the local level on this matter by a government instead pushes for differentiated autonomy on a large number of matters.
But the installation of speed cameras in urban areas with limits lower than 50 km/h is also limited, therefore including the 30 zones: a factor that effectively weakens one of the most effective tools for enforcing speed limits, thus reducing the potential impact of the same areas at 30 km/h. According to the Italian environmental and bicycle federationwho in recent days also appealed to the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, “the structure of the reform is very clear: weak against the strong, giving greater freedom of circulation to motor vehicles, whose drivers, according to Istat data, cause The 94 percent of collisions and 98 percent of deathsand strong with the weak, conversely restricting measures in favor of pedestrians, cyclists, children and elderly people, who are the majority of victims in cities”.
The squeeze on electric scooters
One of the main innovations concerns micromobility, especially with a crackdown on electric scooters. The new rules impose compulsory insurance for civil liability towards third parties, an identification mark, and decidedly severe sanctions: driving without insurance will result in fines of 100 to 400 euros, while the absence of indicator lights or brakes on both wheels could cost the owner up to 800 euros. Parking on pavements has also been regulated with greater precision: it is prohibited except in clearly marked spaces, to guarantee the safety and accessibility of pedestrians and people with disabilities.
Cramped on scooters © Francois Lochon / Getty Images
The new code also introduces a much more severe sanctioning system, which concerns both common infringements and more serious behaviour: exceeding the speed limits, even slightly, will result in many 220 to 880 euroswith the addition of the suspension of the license from one to three months for repeat offenses. In case of exceeding the limit at more than 40 km/h, fines could reach up to 3,382 euros. Use smartphones or other devices while driving will result in fines between 250 and one thousand euros (but there cannot be automatic detection). In case of repeat offenses within two years, the license will be suspended for 1 to 3 months. The most controversial change concerns driving under the influence of drugs: the crime will be triggered with a simple positive saliva swab, regardless of the driver’s impaired state. This means that those who have consumed cannabis days before, without being affected by the effects, still risk having their license withdrawn.
An interesting innovation is that, meeting the needs of local authorities in whose territories there are cultural or environmental assets protected by theUnescothe possibility of establishing limited traffic zones (Ztl) is foreseen for extraordinary and justified needs for the protection of the same UNESCO heritage sites: the rule is designed in particular for the Amalfi Coast, whose wonderful panoramic road is often drowned in traffic in the tourist season .
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What specific criticisms have been raised about the implementation of 30 km/h zones in urban areas under the new Italian traffic laws?
1. What are the criticisms and concerns regarding the new Italian traffic laws, particularly with respect to the establishment of 30 km/h zones in urban areas and the regulation of micromobility?
2. How do the new fines and sanctions for speeding and mobile phone use in vehicles compare to the previous system?
3. Can you explain the implications of the change in the law regarding driving under the influence of drugs, even if they are not affecting the driver’s ability to operate a vehicle?
4. Are there any positive aspects or potential benefits of the new traffic laws?
5. In your opinion, how can the balance between sustainability and personal autonomy be improved in urban mobility?
