Highway Code: the Ministry of Infrastructure updates the table of penalties; fines down by 7 per cent
But a hefty fine is on the way for those who fail to take out insurance: the penalty rises from 866 to 1,000 euros
Fines down by 7 per cent overall, with dozens of new offences subject to penalties. These are some of the changes contained in the updated version of the table of penalties set out in the Highway Code, which was sent on 3 September by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to all parties involved in the consultation process, from operators to industry associations. The deadline for submitting assessments and proposing amendments has been set for 13 September.
The impact of sanctions
As the MIT states in a press release, the table lists 795 offences subject to penalties. Of these, only 66 – 8 per cent of the total – have seen an increase, whilst all the others have seen a decrease. The overall 7 per cent reduction in the total value of fines compared with the current regulations, as announced by the Ministry, is due to small increases – in some cases by just a few euros – and significant reductions.
Fines on the rise
Some of the planned increases, however, are more substantial due to the ‘assessment of the social danger posed by the conduct or because the current penalty is considered too low’. This is the case with breaches of the compulsory motor vehicle insurance requirement, for which a substantial increase is on the way: the fine associated with this offence, in the updated table of penalties, rises from 866 to 1,000 euros.
However, according to Adusbef, the Association for the Defence of Users of Banking and Financial Services, not even a fine of one thousand euros is enough. Commenting on the MIT’s proposal, the association pointed out that the latest figures from the Motor Vehicle Registry show that, out of 47 million vehicles on the road in Italia, 9 million do not have the compulsory motor vehicle liability insurance. Furthermore, as Adusbef points out, in the event of an accident caused by a vehicle without cover, the costs fall on motorists, who help to fund the Guarantee Fund for Road Accident Victims through a 2.5 per cent levy applied to every motor insurance premium paid in Italia.
“Vehicles on the road without insurance,” said President Antonio Tanza, “cause around 25,000 accidents in our country every year, resulting in millions of euros’ worth of damage that is paid for by the public,” which is why “a fine of 1,000 euros does not seem sufficient to curb the problem, and stricter penalties are needed for offenders”.
