Fewer accidents and fewer deaths on Italian roads in the first six months of 2025, but the number of victims is still too high. Aci and Istat’s latest report will soon be relaunched by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport led by Matthew Salviniunderscores that the new Code from road And “fundamental to save lives.” But i almost 100 fewer deaths (1,310 versus 1,406 in the first six months of 2024) is not enough and is highlighted in the same report: “The reduction in casualties shows the progress that has been made in recent years.” weakconfirm need From intensify action to achieve Europe’s goal of halving fatalities by 2030.” To raise the ranking of road deaths – which keeps Italy still in the rankings nineteenth place among the 27 EU countries – intervention is therefore needed to improve the situation security road: but what is it government on topic? Beyond the announcement, the story continues battle Salvini fought back speed camera but without intervening on the fundamental issue of consent, while infrastructure Highway presents many critical issues (e.g guardrail old and not updated) and current regulations do not provide further tools to significantly reduce fatalities and accidents. A topic that today, on the occasion World Day to remember road victimsbecomes very important.
Speed camera census
A scientific study by the industrial engineering departmentUniversity of Florencewhich was presented in October, highlighting speed cameras instrument useful to reduce collisions with injuries and deaths, especially – mentioned – accidents “with deadly consequences they suffer from one subtraction what happened from 15% to 26%“. “Speed cameras are not used to make money but to save lives“, he underlined during the presentation Stephen Guarneriassociation president Lorenzo Guarnieri funded this research and is committed to reducing the number of road casualties. A very different perspective from Minister Salvini who for years was the protagonist in the real struggle against speed detection instruments, against what he defined as “forest speed camera”. November 30 the deadline for the city and law enforcement agencies to communicate has expired portal custom made, i data technician with regard to the devices it has to detect violations of speed limits: if they did not do so, the use of speed cameras would be unlawful. haram and therefore it is so dead. A census desired by the leader Alloy. The data that will eventually become published on the ministry’s website and everyone can consult.
Consent issues (never resolved)
“All Italian cities must communicate to the Ministry how many speed cameras there are, where they are located, why and If I approvedthose that are not communicated will be turned off. Unfortunately over the years Do income they also put a lot of it on workers’ skin sneaky speed camerashidden, on two, three, four lane roads”, said the deputy prime minister in September when presenting the latest innovations. The narrative is always the same: Municipalities – to earn income from fines – install speed cameras wherever they want. In reality these devices requirepermission from the Prefecture local, namely the institution that represents the government in the region. There is more. Salvini used an imprecise term: namely homologation, which is the real theme of these months. There are more and more pronunciations Court From Cassation That they cancelled Speeding fines are issued using unapproved speed cameras but alone authorized by the Ministry of Infrastructure. What appears to be a simple complaint about some instruments not complying with the rules is actually a very complex issue. Just because no speed cameras in Italy are approvedas a process and approval criteria they were never foreseen: and this concerns not only the devices used by the Municipality but also, for example, the devices used by POLICE road. And what is Salvini doing to address the problem? There isn’t anything. Beyond changes in size and distance signs Highway signaling and prohibition of installing radar on restricted roads less than 50 km/hournothing has changed. Last March he announced his solution with the preparation of a decree ministerial declaration that speed cameras have been approved”approved from 2017 and so on”: however, two days later, it was Salvini himself who ordered interesting these provisions. So chaos for motorists and city governments remains.
Alternative (still not applicable)
As an alternative to speed cameras, there are many deceleration devicewhich is used by many other states, but in Italy cannot be considered because the ministry does not allow it. For example, useful for roads outside the city, there is preventive traffic lights which recognizes vehicles traveling at too high a speed and, in this case, activates yellow and then red lights, thus forcing the driver to slow down and stop. They are widely used abroad and may also be equipped camera to identify violators. Or in urban areas it is called “slow motion pillow“, a kind of bump (but square in shape and measuring about one and a half meters) which can also be installed in areas that are frequently crossed emergency vehiclewithout causing problems. But in Italy lack there legislation which regulates the use of alternative instrumentation. Just following the example of other European countries is enough to improve road safety, especially in cities with the highest number of accidents. And also to make the mobility of the weakest road users safer: people in the bicycle And pedestrian.
Old security barriers
Then there is the problem of the state infrastructure Highway. Apart from holes and problems on the road surface, for example, there are crucial problems related to this obstacle Highway From security. A serious accident that occurred in October 2023 caused quite a stir, when a bus tourist falls from overpass in Mestre causes 21 deathsi : on that occasion the attention was focused on the conditions guardrail on that stretch of road. As he explained Aisico – Italian company working in the field of road safety and infrastructure – road safety barriers currently operating on Italian roads are designed in many years ‘90when the car has an average weight of approx 1,200 kilograms. Nowadays SUVs and electric vehicles often perform better 1,800 kilograms“but the regulatory framework remains unchanged since the last revision of regulations regarding barriers that began in 1992”. Therefore, in the event of a collision with an SUV or electric car capacity From detention obstacles may occur seriously compromised. Among other things, current regulations do not require replacement if the barrier is inadequate or worn out, creating a empty regulation which exposes managers and drivers to real risks.” “We need new standards and digital tools to continuously survey and monitor the true state of infrastructure. AND urgeat continental level, a renew from regulatory frameworkbecause the current regulations no longer reflect itevolution from the automotive world. “The best way to honor the victims is to ensure that similar tragedies do not happen again,” he commented Octavia CalamaniCEO of Aisico. Therefore, the roads in Italy are still unsafe and intervention in this and many other aspects could significantly reduce the number of deaths.
