Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has launched a formal consultation process to overhaul the country’s Highway Code, distributing working documents to more than 100 industry operators and sector associations, as reported on August 10, 2026. Led by Minister Matteo Salvini, the legislative package attempts to reconcile motorist demands with heightened road safety standards, proposing everything from a 17-year-old licensing structure to swift penalties for uninsured cars.
Safeguarding Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Motorcyclists
Ministry documents show the reform package prioritizes vulnerable groups. It proposes that it be mandatory for municipalities to integrate with the CUDE platform, the European Unified Disability Badge. Cities that do not adopt this digital badge system could be unable to use remote monitoring devices against unauthorized parking in reserved stalls and Limited Traffic Zones (ZTL). Meanwhile, for two-wheelers, officials are reviewing regulatory modifications on three-lane motorways and expressways. These changes would allow for parallel lane circulation and potential emergency lane use during severe traffic jams or accidents, provided paths for emergency services stay open.
Expanding Access While Reining In Urban Deliveries
The draft legislation outlines a supervised driving system that could let individuals earn a license at age 17, subject to specific regulatory guidelines set for government finalization. At the same time, powered cycles, used frequently for home delivery, encounter new hurdles. The proposal mandates helmet use and identification markers to boost traceability across city streets.
Cracking Down on Uninsured and Abandoned Autos
Uninsured vehicles will face action under the drafted regulations. Ministry strategies combine Motorization databases to enforce a digital driving ban, alongside rules permitting the immediate impoundment of uninsured vehicles at the first road check. Affaritaliani notes that the revised framework also includes tools to contrast the phenomenon of abandoned vehicles, tackling both urban decay and safety hazards.
Restructuring Penalties and Foreign Enforcement
The ministry’s blueprint reshapes the fine system around the core premise that higher road risk demands heavier punishments, while striking down automatic inflation-linked fine hikes. To bolster citizen rights, notification deadlines for remote infractions could shrink from 90 days to 30 days. To combat uncollected penalties from foreign motorists, the state is proposing enforcement lasting up to five years if an offending driver is stopped again in Italy. Financially, the model proposes that 70 percent of fine revenue be assigned to road owners for safety interventions, leaving the remaining 30 percent with the fining agency to fund enforcement and notification operations.