The infrastructure decree, approved on November 4 by the Senate, must be published in the Official Journal by 10 November. In the decree there are several changes to the Highway Code, changes affecting fines, parking, scooters, up to the pink sheet and level crossings. Here are the main ones:
– FULL DRIVING WITH SMARTPHONE To the list of tools that cannot be used while driving are added “smartphones, laptops, notebooks, tablets and similar devices that involve even temporarily taking your hands off the wheel”. The violation involves a fine.
– STOP TO POLLUTING BUSES From 30 June 2022 the circulation of vehicles of category M2 and M3 (those intended for the transport of people with more than eight seats in addition to the driver) with Euro 1 characteristics is prohibited and from 1 January 2023 circulation to the same vehicles is prohibited with Euro 2 characteristics. From 1 January 2024, on the other hand, the ban will concern Euro 3 vehicles. To contribute to the renewal of vehicles used for local public transport, 5 million euros are foreseen for 2022 and 7 million euros for each of the years from 2023 to 2035.
– NO SEXIST ADVERTISING Any form of advertising with content considered to be sexist or violent is prohibited, as well as for “messages harmful to respect for individual freedoms, civil and political rights, religious beliefs or ethnic affiliations or discriminatory with reference to sexual orientation,” gender identity or physical and mental abilities “. Violation of the prohibition entails the revocation of the relevant authorization and the removal of the sign.
– CAMERAS ON LEVEL PASSAGES Failure to comply with the ban on crossing the level crossing can be detected by means of special devices for the assessment and automatic detection of violations, installed directly by the railway infrastructure manager.
– THE PINK SHEET LASTS LONGER The validity of the pink sheet passes from 6 to 12 months, a novelty already decided during the Covid pandemic, to deal with an emergency situation, and which therefore becomes definitive. The driving license test B can be repeated three times. An increase in administrative sanctions is foreseen for those who practice without an instructor: from a minimum of 430 euros to a maximum of 1,731 euros and the accessory sanction of the administrative detention of the vehicle for 3 months.
– PATENT BONUS The contribution for those who obtain a driving license arrives: up to a thousand euros for young people up to 35 years, for those who receive citizenship income or social safety nets. Contribution that must not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of obtaining the license. Those who request it must demonstrate that they want to work in the road transport sector, with a driver’s contract to be presented within three months
– PARKING FOR ELECTRIC CARS The car parks with charging columns can only be occupied during the time necessary to recharge the battery. After an hour it will therefore be forbidden to stop further. The ban does not apply between 11pm and 7am.
– DISABLED PARKING PLACE Fines doubled (and points subtracted from the driving license tripled) for those who park their vehicle in the parking spaces reserved for the disabled. The penalties will range from 168 to 672 euros (currently from 84 to 335 euros) and the points deducted, which today are 2, will become 6. Parking on the blue lines for disabled people becomes free from 1 January 2022. ‘Pink’ parking spaces are also provided for pregnant women.
– PEDESTRIAN STRIP OBLIGATIONS Introduced new behavioral obligations at pedestrian crossings. In fact, motorists will have to give priority not only to pedestrians who have started crossing the lanes, but also to those who are about to do so.
– PASSENGER WITHOUT HELMET, DRIVER PAYS FINE The driver of a motorcycle will be fined if his passenger does not wear a helmet, regardless of age (today the fine only applies if the passenger is a minor). For scooters, the helmet is still not mandatory while the use of arrows and insurance will become mandatory for those for hire, they will have to travel no more than 20 km / h (no more than 25) in all other cases.