The Italian government is further tightening the rules for drivers of e-scooters. Now helmets are actually mandatory. License plates are also required.
Corresponding changes to the traffic rules were passed by the Council of Ministers in Rome on Tuesday evening. In addition to the two points already mentioned, insurance is also mandatory. It will be forbidden to park e-scooters on sidewalks in the future. “We need to get things right. The unregulated parking of e-scooters on sidewalks in big cities like Milan and Rome has become a real problem,” said Transport Minister Matteo Salvini after the presentation of the new laws.
As in many other European countries, the use of e-scooters in Italy has boomed in recent years. Rental companies are flooding major cities with e-scooters, popular with locals and tourists alike. However, the police report numerous accidents, with six people killed while riding scooters in Rome alone in the last two years. The e-scooters are also a problem for pedestrians, as there are no rules about where to park them.
Intensified fight against driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs
The government also took the opportunity to step up the fight against drunk driving. No tolerance for drugged or drunk drivers, with a particular focus on repeat offenders, is the mantra of the Meloni government. Anyone who has already been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol will then fall under the 0.0 per thousand rule. For this, the vehicle must be equipped with a so-called “Alcolock” system, which prevents driving if the alcohol test shows more than zero. If someone is stopped again while driving under the influence of alcohol, their driver’s license will be revoked for up to 30 years.
The same goes for drug traffickers. If the first rapid test is positive, the driver’s license will be lost for 20 days, the second time the driving ban will be at least three years. A minor who drives without a license and is drunk or under the influence of drugs cannot get a driver’s license until he is 24 years old. There will be a short suspension of driving licenses for those who use a mobile phone while driving: from seven to fifteen days.
Source: Krone
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