Italian motorists face new immediate licence suspensions and Takata‑airbag inspection bans

Italy has introduced a brief licence‑suspension scheme under article 218‑ter of the Highway Code. Drivers with fewer than 20 points who commit high‑risk offences such as red‑light running, driving under the influence, or using a mobile phone can have their licence withdrawn on the spot. The suspension lasts seven days for those with 10‑19 points and fifteen days for those with fewer than ten, doubling to 14 or 30 days after an accident. The measure applies only when the driver is identified at the time of the offence and does not cover violations detected solely by automated cameras.

A separate decree (Direttoriale n. 229, effective 17 July 2026) mandates that any vehicle that has not completed the mandatory Takata airbag recall will fail its periodic inspection and be barred from circulation until the defective airbag is replaced. Inspectors must verify the vehicle’s VIN against a national recall list before proceeding with the test. Vehicles classified as “stop‑drive” are prohibited from use, while those deemed a “serious risk” may remain on the road only until 30 September 2026 pending repair. The recall affects tens of millions of cars from manufacturers such as Citroën, DS, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat and Ford.