Driving in the Lunigiana is generally a pleasure – there are a few impatient hotheads, but overall the pace is fairly sedate (well, at least for Italy!). La Spezia requires nerves of steel, though, especially at rush hour. Remember that dipped headlights are required day and night when driving on motorways and outside built-up areas, and that Italy has stricter drink driving laws than the UK, only allowing 0.5mg of alcohol per millilitre of blood (UK 0.8).

Documentation

The following documents should always be carried:

• Full, valid UK driving licence
• Proof of ID (passport)
• Motor insurance certificate
• V5 registration document

From 28th September 2021, the distinguishing mark (or national identifier) displayed on vehicles registered in the United Kingdom that are driven abroad changed from GB to UK.  This means that vehicles registered in the UK must display the letters “UK” when driven in Italy.  The identifier can be incorporated in vehicle number plates (along with the Union Flag) or as a separate sticker.

From 2nd August 2021, drivers no longer require an insurance green card for taking their vehicles to Italy.

There is much conflicting information available online regarding the length time for which a UK registered vehicle may be kept in Italy. The UK Government’s statement on the subject as it relates to UK citizens who are (or who intend to become) residents in Italy is as follows:

“You cannot drive a non-Italian registered car in Italy after you have been resident in Italy for 90 days or more. If you move to Italy with your UK-registered car, you must register your car with Italian licence plates within 90 days of being officially resident in Italy. If you do not do this, your car may be impounded. As soon as you start the process of registering your car in Italy, you will not be able to use your car until you get your new documentation and licence plates. For more information, read Art. 93-bis of the Italian Highway Code (in Italian) and contact an Ufficio Motorizzazione Civile (in Italian).“

Note that UK citizens who stay in Italy for more than 90 days in any single 180 day period are deemed to be resident in Italy for tax purposes. Such citizens have therefore a further 90 days following the breach to re-register their car in Italy.

UK visitors to Italy can keep their vehicles there for up to 12 months without adverse consequence in terms of UK regulations. After that their vehicles are considered by the UK Government to have been permanently exported.

Spot checks & fines

The Carabinieri/Polizia Stradale carry out spot checks from time to time (we have been stopped so we know!). They step out in front of you waving a red paddle and will ask for “i documenti”.

Pre-Brexit, if when driving your UK registered car a fixed camera caught you breaking a traffic law the Italian police would get your details from the DVLA and issue a ticket accordingly. Whether post-Brexit the EU “Directive on cross-border exchange of information on road safety related traffic offences” of 2015 continues to operate is unclear. Currently, if you are driving a hire car at the time of a violation the police will contact the hire company to obtain your details. The hire company will then charge you €40 or thereabouts as an administration fee. (If the internet review sites are to believed, some unscrupulous hire car agents supplement their incomes by applying the admin charge on a random basis, knowing that it’s difficult for a non-Italian speaking customer to make a successful challenge).

Unlike in the UK where for minor infringements one must be sent a notice of intended prosecution within 14 days of the offence, the Italian police have twelve months to press charges and issue a ticket.

Note that speeding fines in Italy range from €40 to €4,400 depending on the speed at which offenders are caught, and the road on which they’re driving!

Driving on the Autostrada

Emergency telephones linked to an SOS telephone network are installed at 2km intervals along motorways. There are two types of emergency telephone on Italian roads, from which you either:

• Connect to the emergency call centre and speak directly to an operator, or
• Press a ‘spanner’ button for mechanical assistance or a ‘red cross’ button for medical aid. A red light will then let you know your request has been received. 

As a matter of interest, if you break down on any European road you can dial 112 and an operator will then connect you to an emergency service in the country you’re visiting. Operators can answer your call in their native language, English or French. 

Winter tyres/snow chains/snow socks

Local authorities in Italy are authorised to pass bye-laws requiring the fitting of winter tyres or the carriage of anti-slip devices on specified roads for specified periods during the year.

Residents living in hill villages would be well advised to fit winter tyres, not only for their ability to cope with snow and ice but also because they offer enhanced steering and braking performance during heavy rain. Such tyres must be marked as suitable for use on snow or on ice. Full details are available on the Polizia di Stato web site. Failure to comply with the bye-laws results in a fine of 87 euros (42 euros in built-up areas) and a prohibition on continuing one’s journey.

The traditional alternative to fitting winter tyres was to retain all-season tyres and to carry snow chains. Unfortunately, however, many modern cars have insufficient clearance between the tyres and wheel arches to accommodate them. For this reason, in recent times snow socks have become popular. The legal status of snow socks was a bone of contention for many years, but under a decree dated 23 February 2023, snow socks complying with standard UNI EN16662-1 are now classified as approved anti-slip devices.

Snow socks are made of textile material/Kevlar, are lighter and easier to fit than chains, do not damage the road surface, require minimal tyre-wheel arch clearance, and are much the same price. They are available at many auto outlets both in Italy and in the UK. The downside is that they are not particularly durable and perform relatively poorly on ice. Note that vehicles fitted with snow chains/socks are not permitted to exceed a speed of 50km/hr.

Within the Province of Massa Carrara, fitment of winter tyres/carriage of anti-slip devices is required between 15 November and 15 April each year. Furthermore, motorcycles and mopeds must not be used on roads affected by either snow or ice.

Speed limits/cameras

The speed limits are:  

• 130kph (81mph) toll motorways
• 110kph (68mph) non-toll dual carriageways
• 90kph (56mph) trunk roads (le strade statali/strade provinciali)
• 50kph (31mph) all other roads

More and more speed cameras are being installed throughout the Province. Locations on the SS62 include the turn-off to the Autostrada at Pontrémoli, the Scorcetoli shopping parade, the Simply Market supermarket located at San Bernadino just South of Villafranca, and the entrance to Conad at Terrarossa. There are also some traffic light cameras (notably at the centre of Villafranca).

Limited Traffic Zones

Anyone who is planning to drive in Italy needs to be aware of Limited Traffic Zones, or Zona Traffico Limitato in Italian, abbreviated to ZTL. Many historical centers of Italian cities have set up these limited traffic zones in order to reduce congestion and pollution, and there are significant fines for driving into one of these zones unauthorized.

Various friends have been caught out by the ZTLs at Lerici/San Terenzo so be very careful and unless you know what you’re doing avoid trying to drive into the centres of these towns – leave your car at the peripheral car parks and walk.