Road safety in Italy: encouraging numbers but to be improved

Road safety in Italy shows "encouraging numbers which, however, need to be improved". This is what the Minister of Transport and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini thinks who, in a note, reiterates the arrival of an awareness campaign, measures to protect children in cars and a new meeting of the National Committee for Public Order and Safety.

The press release recalls how deaths caused by road accidents decreased in the first five months of 2026, continuing the positive trend after the entry into force of the new highway code. According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, in fact, we went from 464 victims in 2025 to 449 this year. Deaths that had already reduced during 2025 (-96).

From the activity of the Traffic Police and the Carabinieri in the first 5 months of this year, it also emerges that the most numerous violations detected concern exceeding speed limits (193,071), followed by failure to use seat belts (36,929) and the use of mobile phones (15,367). While, out of more than 31 thousand licenses withdrawn, over 15 thousand were for cell phone use while driving, 6707 for driving under the influence and almost 1000 for drug use.

Furthermore, as regards scooters, just over a month after the obligation of the new rule came into force, 130,217 labels have been issued and 19,484 are being delivered.