Driving in Italy

'When in Rome do as the Romans do' is a saying that may conjure up nightmares when taken in the context of driving in Italy. Driving around in Italy requires a certain amount of bravery, a sharp wit and a good deal of patience. Speed, and small margins for error, seem to be the essence of Italian driving. Overtaking is perhaps the worst aspect, as it is done in dangerous situations with the overtaking driver one minute up your tail, and then a few centimetres to the left of your car, before he swerves in front of you nearly taking off your front bumper. Another nightmare of the road is the signposting.

Signs are terrible and it can be enormously difficult to find the correct road, even with a good map. Quite often the junction is signposted only at the actual turning and not in advance, and there may be a display of 20 signs to scan through, including those for hotels, restaurants, businesses and public services. It is far from uncommon to find two signs for the same destination pointing in opposite directions; sometimes all roads do lead to Rome!

To add to this, most roads around big towns and cities are very busy, while the centres themselves are positively traffic choked. Nearly all Italians have at least one car per family and many have two, or even three. Road congestion is not the only problem. Car parking is a headache almost everywhere, and when the winter brings fog and mist to the cities of Northern Italy there is the problem of car exhaust-enhanced smog too. When pollution levels reach an unbearable limit cars are restricted by allowing number plates ending in an even number on the roads one day and those ending in an odd number on the next. Sometimes vehicles are banned from using the roads altogether.

Getting around by car does, however, have its advantages, and if you intend to buy a rural property in Italy you may find that it is essential.

Road Regulations

The first thing to remember about driving in Italy is to keep to the right-hand side of the road and give way to traffic from the right on roundabouts and at crossroads. If you have a right-hand drive car you will find the left-hand wing mirror indispensable; it is anyway obligatory to have one. It is also obligatory to carry a warning triangle in your boot and to have your driving licence and car registration documents on you at all times.

Road signs are international and driving rules conform to European standards, although in practice little regard is given to pedestrian crossings, and traffic from the right often takes precedence. The degree to which driving rules are obeyed and enforced varies greatly across the country. Naples can seem to be virtually law-free at times, with neither traffic lights nor one-way streets being respected.

Children under four must be strapped into a car safety seat, and children aged between four and 12 must wear a child's safety restraint. Drunken driving is a grave offence, although breathalising is nothing like as common as in the UK and safe limits do not really exist. Fines are paid on the spot, usually after the driver has pleaded innocence and tried to knock down the cost of the fine. If you are unable to pay a fine you are given 60 days in which to honour your debt.