Yesterday evening the Council of Ministers chaired by Giorgia Meloni gave the definitive green light to the reform of the Highway Code. An impressive intervention divided into 294 articles and promoted by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini to modernize road traffic. The first big news concerns the radical simplification of the penalty system, which goes from 82 to just 21 amount bands, with a minimum limit of 25 euros and a maximum of 40 thousand euros. At the same time, the government froze the automatic biennial adjustment of the minutes to inflation, establishing that the increases will only be triggered if the economic index exceeds the 5% threshold. Historic legal minimums drop from 26 to 25 euros, from 42 to 40 euros and from 87 to 80 euros, eliminating the vexatious function of fines.
Furthermore, the calculation for speeding fines completely changes: on extra-urban roads with limits above 50 km/h you will pay 10 euros for each kilometer exceeded. To give a concrete example, exceeding 11 km/h will result in a fine of 110 euros, while exceeding the limit of 40 km/h will cost 400 euros, compared to the previous limit of 694 euros. In urban areas with limits of up to 50 km/h, the fee drops to 5 euros for each kilometer over the limit. For driving without insurance, however, the punishment comes in with fines ranging from 1000 to 4 thousand euros and an indefinite driving ban, in addition to doubling the penalties for those driving without a license or for foreign vehicles without valid coverage in Italy after 30 days.
Goodbye to paper documents and the clampdown on digital notifications of minutes
A revolution eagerly awaited by motorists concerns the definitive farewell to the obligation to carry a paper license and booklet on board. During routine checks, the police will verify the regularity of the driver and vehicle by directly consulting the national databases electronically. At the same time, digitalisation will affect the notification of sanctions via the SEND platform for those who have a digital domicile. To protect citizens’ right to defense, the reform drastically reduces notification times for remote assessments and without immediate objection: Municipalities will have a maximum of 45 days instead of the old 90 days.
Relevant news also affects professional truck and bus drivers with group 2 licenses (C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE), for which the maximum age for professional transport is raised from 68 to 70 years, subject to a biannual medical check. Full interoperability of the national platform for the Unified European Disabled Badge (Cude) is also guaranteed: non-compliant Municipalities will not be able to use remote devices to fine violations in restricted traffic zones or on reserved parking spaces.
The new rules for motorbikes, emergency lanes, bicycles and scooters
On the two-wheel front, the text introduces important protections and new rules of conduct. Motorcyclists will be able to use the emergency lane on the motorway during traffic jams, accidents or traffic slowdowns. As for cyclists, motorists will be required to maintain a lateral safety distance of at least 1.5 meters when overtaking. Anyone who invades a cycle path without authorization will risk heavy fines of between 500 and 2 thousand euros. On the other hand, helmets and badges become mandatory for riders who use propelled cycles.
There is also a strict clampdown on the misconduct of those who travel on pedals or on micro-electric vehicles. Bicycles that proceed in a zigzag, make sudden swerves or are not steered by hand in the presence of risky pedals will be punished with fines ranging from 40 to 160 euros. As regards electric scooters, those who circulate on pavements or pedestrian crossings will face fines ranging from 40 to 160 euros, while wild or irregular parking will cost from 50 to 200 euros, resulting in an absolute ban on circulation for vehicles that create an obstacle or danger.
