From August: New restrictions come into force in Italy: stopping with the engine running for more than 7 minutes will be illegal – even if the air conditioning is on.
Violators will be fined between 184 and 512 euros. Until now, there was another law that prohibited stopping with the engine running, with fines ranging from 223 to 444 euros.
The control will be carried out by cameras that detect the engine running in parking lots. The reason for this measure? Extreme temperatures and a number of victims of heatstroke in the country.
What does the law actually say?
PROHIBITED: Leaving the engine running during significant stops (sosta), even if only to run the air conditioning.
Exceptions: it is allowed if the car is moving, at traffic lights, in a traffic jam, or during a short “fermata” (stop) to pick up/drop off passengers.
The goal: to protect drivers and the environment by limiting harmful emissions, the European Transport Cluster announced.
Illustrative Photo by Torsten Dettlaff: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-coupes-70912/
