Traffic Penalty in Italy - Points on my License?!?

tppjf

I would be grateful for any advice from those with specific knowledge of European (specifically Italian) traffic road infringements.

Last October I went on holiday to Italy and rented a car. I am by nature a cautious driver and do not have any points or endorsements on my license in 25 years of driving. Driving on the opposite side of the road makes me doubly cautious.

After arriving back home my car hire company sent me a notification of a traffic infringement from the police force of Ferrara. They were kind enough to charge me £50 for the 'admin' work involved but that's another story.

Naturally the document was written in Italian so I used Google Translate to work out that I had been caught driving through a red light and that this had been captured on a fixed camera. Even though they did not send me any photo evidence of the offence, I was certainly in Ferrara at the time and date that the offence was listed. Therefore I had resigned myself to the fact that I must have made this error as a result of unfamiliarity with my surroundings, even though I still find it hard to believe I could have done that. I stress again that driving through a red light is something I would never knowingly do. But I was ready to pay the fine and just be done with it.

Last week the official police papers arrived and were translated (badly) into English. The nature of the offence now says that I continued to drive despite being stopped by a police officer?!?!? The original paperwork in Italian had said that I went through a red light and was caught on a camera.

It also says that I need to send my driving license along with the fine to have 6 points deducted! This will surely turn up on my DVLA records?

This really concerns me. I have never had any points on my license in 25 years of driving in the UK and am really anxious that this is going to have an impact upon my future insurance premiums in the UK.

Is anyone able to point me in the direction of some sound legal advice on Italian motoring law? My original intention was to just bite the bullet and pay the fine but the fact that they want to add points to my license is a major concern. I am also baffled by the fact that the nature of my offence has changed from running a red light to failing to stop when requested to do so by an officer.

I can appeal the fine if I want but;

- the appeal must be submitted in Italian

- if the appeal fails the fine will double

It's not the fine that bothers me. It's the points on my license.

Thanks.

NoodleDoodleMan

Try approaching the AA or RAC for an answer.

benjus

As far as I'm aware penalty point systems are specific to each country and work on very different principles. So I don't think it's currently possible for an offence committed in another country to get you points on your licence. Presumably the documents you have received in Italian are intended for Italian licence holders. You are probably liable for the fine, though.

Tallaght

Some European countries especially France and Italy apply to the DVLA for owner details of the vehicle involved in a traffic offence.France made over 4,000 requests last year but i am not sure about the Italy total.

Gycraig

Do you plan to go back to Italy ? Although they can trace you from a brief google search I don't think there is actually a lot they can do about the points or fine in another European country. Points are definitely country specific

Gycraig

Nvm ignore my advice just read into it more