Wednesday 7th July 2004

Driving through Italy?

Know the rules and get your pretty vest on when you break down

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UK drivers who break down in Italy may end up breaking the law without knowing it warns the AA today.

On 1st April, the Italians introduced a law that forces motorists whose vehicles break down at night or in poor visibility, to wear a reflective jacket when they get out of the car or face an on-the-spot fine of up to 138 euros. Spain will enforce a similar law from 24th July, fining up to 91 euros.

The AA Motoring Trust is concerned that UK motoring travellers will fail to understand how the new law works. This could lead to car and minibus passengers staying in their vehicles on fast and busy roads because they don’t have reflective jackets and fear being fined. It may be safer for them to leave the vehicle and stand away from a dangerous road, as advised by the UK Highway Code.

Under the new law, according to Italian road authorities, drivers in Italy must carry a yellow or orange reflective jacket that conforms to European Standard EN471. This must be worn if the car breaks down and the driver gets out on the road, for instance, to check under the bonnet, change a wheel, set up warning triangles or walk down the road to phone for help.

The authorities require other vehicle occupants to wear a reflective jacket if they are standing on the road, perhaps to help change a wheel or hold a light, but they will not fall foul of the regulations if they remain off the road.

The AA recommends that, when driving through Italy and, from July 24, Spain:

• Each vehicle carries at least two reflective jackets. This provides one for the driver and another for a passenger who may need to assist, for instance in changing a tyre, when the vehicle breaks down. They should be carried in the passenger compartment.
• If a vehicle breaks down on a fast and busy road, pull over as far to the inside as possible and switch on hazard lights. Occupants should get out of the vehicle and stand well clear of the road, preferably several metres away, particularly if other vehicles pose a danger of collision.
• Where there is nowhere safe to stand well away from the road, occupants may be better advised to stay in the car until help arrives. Railings, barriers, bridges and breaking down in an outer lane of a busy road may make it dangerous for vehicle occupants to get out.  

"Discussions with motoring groups, road and police authorities, and tourist boards for Italy and Spain has produced conflicting advice on the implementation of the new law," says Andrew Howard, Head of Road Safety for the AA Motoring Trust.

"The Italian and Spanish Tourist Offices have now confirmed that the police in both countries say drivers must carry a reflective jacket in their cars at all times. In Italy, the law applies to all roads, both inside and outside towns and cities and, in Spain, all motorways, main and busy roads.

"They also say that vehicle occupants who can stand safely at some distance from the road don’t need to wear reflective jackets. They must not stand on or near the edge of the road, or loiter in and out of the car without a jacket. However, our advice is to take fluorescent jackets with you and always use them when necessary."

[DustyC]

I saw someone that had broken down on a corner of an A road in England wearing a hi-vis vest the other day and thought it was a very good idea.
As I was coming round the corner I saw him before the car and so slowed down sooner.

(I bet I forget to pack one now!)

[whatever]

I keep a hi-vis vest (or two) in the boot of the cerb.

Not sure if that says more about me or the car...

Never had to use them, yet, though.

[pdV6]

whatever said:

I keep a hi-vis vest (or two) in the boot of the cerb.

The pain, though, is that you fall foul of the law when going 'round to the boot to retrieve said jacket!

[darren]

Sounds like someone in the Italian government has a brother with a reflective jacket manufacturing company.

An opportunity for a quick lira, me thinks.

[steveherb]

At least reflective jackets is a better idea than bus lanes and lanes for two or more occupants that our lot come up with. Perhaps we could adopt another Italian idea I saw whilst driving my Renault Scenic in Italy last month - ok, so it's not a TVR, but can you get three people and enough camping equipment for two weeks in a TVR? I digress, Johnny Foreigner has a brilliant idea, whereby HGV's are not allowed to overtake anything during the rush hour. Keeps 'em all on the inside lane leaving the fast stuff free for TVR's, Nobles - and Scenics of course!

[stooz]

On 1st April

[sidevalve]

Just outside Genoa there is a complex of tunnels through the mountains on the motorway along the Ligurian coast (very spectacular and well worth a visit). Average speeds in them are over 90 mph (150 km/h limit there now). The TWO-LANE tunnels are very twisty and there is NO HARD SHOULDER. Imagine the consequences of breaking down round a corner in one of those tunnels. It would be certain death when the first 44-tonner or Mercedes driven by a Mafioso at 95+ arrived on the scene. I drive through there quite often (I collect classic Lancias and I go there for parts), and believe me, this isn't corruption or fraud - it's plain common sense. Their autostrade were the first motorways (before Hitler's Autobahnen) and in some cases are nearly that old. Think about it...

[sidevalve]

What I meant, of course, but forgot to say, is that to stay in your car for more than 10 seconds after a breakdown would be insanity (you'd be demolished along with it), and so the reflective jacket is a necessity - don't forget that there is NO HARD SHOULDER and so nowhere to stand or walk (there are bays every few hundred metres, but you've got to get to 'em!). All there is is a teensy-weensy pavementlet about a foot wide, with the tunnel wall one side and the traffic at 150 km/h on the other. Walking along this without a reflective vest would be suicide. With one it would just be Russian Roulette...

[sidevalve]

P.S. If you had bought a Fiat Multipla you could have got all three passengers in the front, and you could have left the back seats at home and loaded way more luggage (or car parts...) in behind you than in the Scenic...

[robert farago]

Good point about being violation of the jacket law when walking to the boot to get your jacket. Here's another Monty Pythonesque anomoly...

In Spain, you are legally obliged to carry a spare lamp bulb. If you use it, you are then in violation of the law. Go figure.

[Davel]

I think its a good idea, especially in case you break down at night.

Should be compulsory here too. Inexpensive and could just save your life.

[deltaf]

Good idea, simple but will work.

[cdp]

Orange. The new black.

[Pete Cros]

pdV6 said:

whatever said: I keep a hi-vis vest (or two) in the boot of the cerb. The pain, though, is that you fall foul of the law when going 'round to the boot to retrieve said jacket!

The law in Spain already applies, and has done so for a few years, and yes it applies to hire cars. It's just being made forcefall on July 24th.

Edited to add:
Don't know about motor bikes. How do you carry all this equipement on a bike?

In Spain Hi-Vis jackets MUST be kept in the passenger compartment, NOT in the boot. Including hire cars.

Also, if you wear glasses (eyspecs) for driving, then a spare pair MUST be available in the vehicle.

Yet another, a warning triangle must be available in the vechile, UNLESS it's a vehicle with a Spainish registration, when TWO warning triangles must be carried.

>> Edited by Pete Cros on Thursday 8th July 13:41

[Pete Cros]

robert farago said:

Good point about being violation of the jacket law when walking to the boot to get your jacket. Here's another Monty Pythonesque anomoly... In Spain, you are legally obliged to carry a spare lamp bulb. If you use it, you are then in violation of the law. Go figure.

Technically, yes it's true. A set of spare bulbs must be carried. If you are stopped with a faulty light. You have choices,

Leave the vehicle where it is (you can't proceed with a faulty light).

Call out a recovery vehicle.

Call out a mechanic to supply and replace the faulty bulb.

Replace the faulty bulb with a spare from your kit. But, if you then drive off, you may not have a full set of spare bulbs left in your kit, so you can be stopped again.

Good'un isn't it!.