The grip of the Highway Code on new drivers and driving with a cell phone is loosened.
The examination in the Chamber commission confirmed the suspension of the license for those who use mobile phones while driving but reduced the increase in fines foreseen by the reform desired by the government.
At the same time, the limits imposed on young people driving supercars have been slightly lowered compared to the regulations in force.
In the new Highway Code, the fine for driving with a smartphone will go from a minimum of 250 euros to a maximum of 1,000 euros compared to the amount originally envisaged by the reform bill, which provided for sanctions from a minimum of 422 euros to a maximum of 1,697 EUR.
The clampdown on repeat offenders is also loosened: the fine goes from a range between 644 and 2,588 euros to a range between 350 and 1,400 euros.
Then comes a maximum interest rate on fines.
"The increase cannot exceed three fifths of the amount of the fine", equal to 60%.
The two amendments on sanctions were presented by Noi Moderati, first signed by Maurizio Lupi.
"An act of justice and fairness towards citizens who will no longer find themselves having to pay, after years, stratospheric interest of hundreds or even thousands of euros for not having paid a fine, perhaps due to forgetfulness or temporary impossibility", comments Lupi, underlining that "the fine must not be a tax but an educational element, therefore it is better to increase the number of points deducted" from the licence.
According to the new Code, anyone caught behind the wheel with a smartphone in their hand will have their driving license suspended for a week if there are at least 10 points on it, but if the points are less than ten the driving license will be suspended for 15 days.
The times then double if the use of the mobile phone causes an accident or sends another vehicle off the road.
Another amendment, among the 770 that the House Transportation Committee examined, redefines the criteria regarding supercars.
New drivers will be able to drive more powerful cars even in the first 3 years after issuing the license after the amendment prohibits driving motor vehicles with a power exceeding 75 kW/t and cars with a maximum power of 105 kW.
The current Code, however, sets the limit at 55 kW/t for motor vehicles in general and 70kw/h for cars.
The reform bill had extended the ban from 1 to 3 years, leaving the powers of the vehicles unchanged after the accident caused by Roman YouTubers driving a Lamborghini.
The commission also revised the legislation on speed cameras: in the event that multiple fines are received on the same road section, in a period of one hour and under the responsibility of the same body, only one fine is paid: the most serious one increased by one third.
"I thank all the members of the transport commission who have demonstrated that by working seriously, putting the safety of citizens at the centre, politics can provide a good service", said the deputy prime minister and minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini, underlining that " Being in the classroom on March 1st with the new highway code is a great result."
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