Most road signs in Italy are self explanatory and you'll understand them easily. Visit this Wiki page to see them all. Speed limit signs appear as a round red circle with the maximum speed. The highest speed you can go is 130kph (81 miles per hr.) on the autostrada. You will often see signs that will slow you down to 110kph (68 mph) or even 80 kph (50 mph), and much slower on rural routes, particularly when coming into small villages. All speeding violations are captured automatically (by video).
Streets marked with ZTL are limited to authorized vehicles ONLY, and the fines are quite steep for driving in any unauthorized area. Do not drive on any street marked with a sign that says ZTL.
Entering the toll booth and getting your ticket is very similar to the US. Do not use the Telepass lane when entering the toll booth area. Use the lanes with the photo of coins or change and symbols for credit cards. (see photo to the right). When you enter the freeway, pull up to the ticket machine, the ticket may automatically appear; if it doesn't, press the big red button. Take your ticket and drive off. When you exit the freeway, drive to the cash/credit card lane and insert your ticket. The price will be digitally displayed. Pay with cash or credit card and exit.
It's easiest to park in large parking areas or garages (big blue P, Parcheggio sign) and purchase a ticket at the kiosk that provides a ticket that you will use to pay when you return. In Italy, street parking is designated with either blue, white or yellow lines. You can not park in yellow-lined parking spaces. These are for residents only. Blue and white spaces are for public use. White is free, and blue is paid. If you park in a blue spot, you will need to find the nearest parking kiosk to pay for your stay. Most accept cards for payment, pay with your card, and then place your ticket in the car on the dashboard.
US citizens should have an International Drivers License--very easy to get at any AAA office. Collision and Damage insurance is required in Italy. While slightly more expensive, opting for an all-inclusive car rental insurance is usually the wisest choice for complete peace of mind during your trip.
Most rental cars will be manual (stick) drive. Be sure to specify when you are purchasing the car rental. You can prepay for the gas (extra charge) or fill up your car before you return it. Always ask what kind of gas is needed for your car, (most will be diesel). Be sure to bring your International Drivers License and your own license. Ask how to call for assistance if needed.
When you locate your car, take pictures of all sides so you have a record of what the car looked like when you picked it up. Check for any damage. Be sure you note any damage you see with pictures. Any existing damage should also be noted on your rental contract. If it isn't, speak with the advisor. It's important to take a few extra steps to cover all your bases.
Take plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the car before you leave the parking lot, (how to start the car, what kind of gas, is there a spare tire, emergency numbers, etc.) The instrument panel speed dial is in Kilometers per hour. The conversion is roughly 100kph = 65mph. Google Maps works perfectly in Italy and remains in English mode. If you use Android Auto, or a similar iPhone product, take time to set that up before you leave. (you must have a phone data plan from the USA to use Google Maps with voice directions).
Rest areas in Italy are busy places. A great place to buy gas or just stop for a break! ("Autogrill" is very popular and it is fun to stop and explore!). Some are small, and some are huge and offer sit down dining. In almost every rest area along the autostrada, there will be an entry and an exit door, and the cashier for purchases you're taking away will be near the exit. If you want to purchase something to eat or drink from the cafe, you will pay for it first, and then show your ticket to the barista.
What you need to know about driving on Italy’s roads
If you are new to driving on Italy's roads, there are some important rules, customs and peculiarities you should acquaint yourself with.
Gas stations
You’ll find filling stations all over but smaller ones tend to close between about 1 pm and 3:30pm and on Sunday afternoons. This isn’t as irritating as it might sound as many have self-service (fai da te) pumps that you can use any time.
Simply insert a bank note into the payment machine and press the number of the pump you want. Remembering, of course, to distinguish between benzina (petrol) and gasolio (diesel).
Know the basic rules of the road
In Italy, motorists drive on the right side of the road and overtake on the left.
To drive you must be at least 18 years of age and hold a valid driver’s license. Whenever you get behind the wheel, you must carry an ID, car registration and proof of insurance.
If you are a visitor in the country for a period of less than 12 months, your foreign license must be accompanied by an international driving permit issued in your home country. (Visit AAA offices to easily obtain).
Wearing seat belts is mandatory for drivers and passengers, and using cell phones or other mobile devices with the exception of hands-free systems while driving is strictly prohibited (though that doesn't stop some drivers from flouting this rule and checking their phones on the road).
Headlights must be on at all times outside residential areas (centri abitati), even on bright sunny days.
The requirement applies both inside and outside residential areas for motorbikes and scooters; it’s also mandatory for motorcyclists and their passengers to wear an EU-approved helmet.
Be well-versed in Italian road signs, especially those indicating “stop”, “yield”, “do not entry”, “no passing”, “wrong way” and “no parking”.
Understand Italian road categories
Autostrade are Italy's motorways – they'll get you to your destination in the most direct and fastest way. Named with the prefix ‘A’ followed by the number of the road (A1, A35, etc), signs indicating an autostrada are green with white text.
The speed limit on autostrade may not exceed 130 km/h and most require paying a toll at the end of the journey via cash, credit card or TELEPASS cards.
To avoid paying a toll, use an extra-urban road (strada extraurbana) or urban road (strada urbana).
Extra-urban roads (blue signs with white text) have a speed limit of either 110 km/h or 90 km/h depending on whether they're main roads (strade principali) or secondary roads (strade secondarie).
On urban roads (white signs with black text) the maximum speed is set at 50 km/h, though some Italian towns and cities, like Bologna, have recently introduced their own lower speed limits.
Speed limits on motorways and extra-urban roads are lower in the event of rain or snow.
Learn the protocol for merging onto motorways and roundabouts
Onramps to Italian autostrade are quite short, so be sure you have plenty of room to merge into traffic safely. Match your rate of speed with that of the flow of traffic and be prepared to stop if someone won’t or can’t let you in.
The rules for merging onto a roundabout (rotatoria or rotonda) depend on whether or not they have road signs.
- For roundabouts with road signs (three circulating arrows), cars traveling inside the rotonda have the right of way. Any car entering must stop and allow them to proceed before entering.
- If a roundabout has no signs posted, cars already traveling inside the circle must give the right-of-way to cars entering from the right-hand side.
What to do in case of an emergency
If you have an accident or breakdown, contact your rental car company immediately. There are rest stops up and down motorways with telephones indicated by the words ‘SOS’.
You can use these to speak to an operator for help or call Italy’s Automobile Club ACI from your cell phone for assistance (803.116 from within Italy or 800.116.800 from a foreign number, toll-free).
They will tow any foreign registered vehicle to the nearest affiliated garage free of charge.
Speed cameras and checkpoints
Italians have a reputation for speeding, so the fact that there are more speed cameras installed on Italy’s roads than anywhere else in Europe may not come as a surprise.
Fines for a speed violation range from 42 to 3,382 euros depending on how much the limit is exceeded by. Violations of 10 km/h or over also result in a licence point deduction.
If you come across a random checkpoint, you may be waved over by a police officer holding a white paddle with an orangish middle. Pull to the side of the road and be prepared to show your driving documents and other photo identification.
Pay attention to ZTL zones
Most towns and cities in Italy have areas know as zona traffica limitato or ZTL.
Generally located around historic centres, only residents or vehicles with special permits are allowed to drive in these areas during restricted time periods (when the ZTL electronic signboard says attivo, or active).
Cameras will record offenders’ license plates and issue a multa (traffic fine) via post or through the rental car company.
Beware of Italian driving habits
It usually takes some time (and nerves of steel) for foreign nationals to get used to the unconventional way Italians motor about, and knowing what to expect will help you avoid surprising situations.
One of the most common quirks of Italian drivers is tailgating. Many of us were taught that it’s prudent to leave at least two car lengths between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. That’s not really a thing in Italy.
It can be quite unnerving to have a car riding your bumper and flashing its headlights. The best thing to do is stay calm and let the car go around you. They eventually will, especially if you move to the right side of your lane a bit to indicate cooperation.
Another oddity some Italians practice is straddling lanes. You’ll often see a car driving between lines, directly above the white line, for what seems like an inordinate amount of time.
To avoid a potential collision in these scenarios, stay alert and put a reasonable amount of distance between you and the car ahead of you. If a driver appears erratic or under the influence, pull off at the nearest exit and report them to polizia stradale (traffic police) by dialling 113 (or have a passenger in the car call).