Tag Archive: Italy

  1. Italy takes action against irresponsible e-scooter use after an increase in accidents

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    Source: Reuters

    Italy’s parliament has approved a bill mandating helmet use and insurance for e-scooter riders, while introducing stricter penalties for improper parking as part of a comprehensive update to the highway code. The Senate finalised the law with an 83-47 vote.

    E-scooter usage has grown significantly in Italy, mirroring trends in other European countries. However, this increase has been accompanied by a rise in accidents and complaints from drivers and pedestrians about violations of safety and parking rules. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, in a social media post, stated, “No more wild scooters,” adding that e-scooters will now require license plates and will be prohibited from cycle lanes, pedestrian areas, and non-urban roads.

    According to national statistics institute ISTAT, road accidents involving e-scooters that resulted in injuries rose to 3,365 in 2023, with 21 fatalities, compared to 2,929 injuries and 16 fatalities in 2022. Other European cities have also imposed restrictions on e-scooter use. In 2023, Paris banned rented electric scooters following an April referendum, while Madrid implemented a similar ban in September 2023.

    Proponents of e-scooters argue they offer a low-cost, zero-emission alternative to public transportation in cities like Rome and Milan, where they are popular with both residents and tourists. Rental companies criticised the new restrictions as excessive. They emphasised that e-scooters are equipped with speed controls and geo-localisation features, which help prevent misuse.

    “They have a technology that inhibits certain bad behaviors that are the source of the most serious accidents,” said Andrea Giaretta, Vice President for Southern and Western Europe, Middle East at Dott. Giorgio Cappiello, Head of Institutional Relations in Italy for Bird, another rental company, described the new rules as “completely ideological” and noted that his company reported no fatalities involving their vehicles in 2022 and 2023.

    The updated highway code also introduces harsher penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and includes a prison sentence of up to seven years for abandoning animals on the road if it results in accidents. Salvini, who also serves as deputy prime minister and leads the hard-right League party, stated that the revisions were developed after extensive consultations, with the shared aim of reducing road fatalities in Italy.

  2. European Commission announces 30 km/h speed limits success as Bologna and Wales report progress

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    Source: ETSC

    The European Commission has emphasised the importance of 30 km/h speed limits in reducing road injuries, fatalities, and pollution levels.

    In response to a parliamentary question, Wopke Hoekstra, the new commissioner for transport following Adina Vălean’s election to the European Parliament in June, highlighted that “the Commission acknowledges that speed is a major factor in road deaths and serious injuries, particularly in urban areas, where vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists or the users of e-scooters constitute 70% of fatalities.“

    “Recent research on the impact of city-wide 30 km/h speed limits in 40 European cities points to significant benefits. On average, these speed limits led to a 23%, 37%, and 38% reduction in road crashes, fatalities, and injuries respectively.“

    The commissioner also emphasised that the impact on travel time is limited and the benefits to rod safety and other factors “often outweigh any change in travel times.“

    The Welsh government recently revealed data that road crashes and injuries between April and June 2024 fell by about a quarter compared to the same period in 2023, suggesting a positive impact from new 20 mph limits in urban areas.

    Italy’s City of Bologna announced since launching its Città 30 program of 30 km/h limits city-wide, has seen road collisions drop by nearly 11% and injuries by over 10% in the first six months, compared to averages from the same period in 2022 and 2023. Severe crashes have plummeted by 38%, and fatalities have decreased by a third, reaching lows comparable to those during the Covid lockdowns. Vehicle traffic has reduced slightly (-3%), while traffic-related pollution has fallen by over 20%. Bike sharing has nearly doubled (+92%), with bicycle trips up by 12%.

    In Germany, recent changes to traffic laws now make it somewhat easier for local authorities to set 30 km/h limits. However, a coalition of cities argues that the changes are insufficient and has scheduled an online conference on November 29 for municipalities interested in implementing safer speed limits.

  3. Changes to road safety laws in Italy impact e-scooters

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    Source: ETSC

    In Italy, significant road safety reforms have passed in Italian Parliament following approval by the Council of Ministers. These reforms encompass several key changes, including the following:

    1. Drink and Drug Driving: The blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for individuals previously convicted of drink-driving will be set at zero. Mandatory alcohol interlocks will be imposed on repeat offenders. A positive drug test will result in automatic license withdrawal, with no need to prove psychological impairment.
    2. New Drivers: Italy currently applies a 70kW power limit for internal combustion engine cars for new drivers during their first year after they pass their test. An upcoming study will demonstrate the effectiveness of this measure in reducing accidents, injuries, and fatalities. The proposed reform will extend this restriction to three years.
    3. E-Scooters: Helmets will become mandatory for riders of both private and shared scooters equipped with license plates. Additionally, insurance coverage will be obligatory. E-scooter circulation will be prohibited in extra-urban areas, and shared scooter operators will need to implement geo-blocking measures to prevent this. Furthermore, indicator lights and front and rear brakes will be compulsory.

  4. Turin’s MaaS service trail nears completion, receiving high marks

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    Source: TheMayor.eu, Iolov, T.V.

    Dubbed the ‘Netflix of mobility’, Turin’s mobility as a service (MaaS) pilot scheme will end at the beginning of October 2022. As the first such initiative in Italy, the project aimed to discourage people from taking their cars when traveling downtown.

    Co-financed by the Italian Ministry of Ecological Transition, the project had a duration of exactly one year. The first, and preliminary, results were presented on Wednesday, 7 September, to the 5T Viability Commission. One hundred individuals who did not own cars were selected for the scheme, with an average age of 39. The single pass granted access to various services including public transport, scooters, taxis, electric scooter, car sharing, and car rental services.

    Positively, of pass holders, 81% of users expressed great satisfaction, with an overall rating of 4.25 out of 5 given to the scheme. Almost all of the testers reported a five-minute reduction in travel times, ten percent say they save up to fifteen minutes. Of available mobility options, the most popular was public transport, followed by car sharing and rental services.

    The success of the scheme has not gone unnoticed, with a further 3.3 million euros in state funding and 1.3 million euros allocated by the Piedmont Region for MaaS projects. The goal is to finalize the project by mid-2023.

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