As of today, Thursday, you can only drive at a maximum speed of 30 kilometers per hour in Rome city center.
Jan 15, 2026, 06:44Jan 15, 2026, 06:44
The new speed limit applies primarily in the historic heart of the Italian capital, but also on some broader arteries along the city center. Previously, the limit applied to slightly less than half of the streets in the center.
Things should be a little more leisurely in Rome in the future.Image: AP
The main aim of the measure is to reduce traffic accidents and reduce the number of traffic fatalities to zero. Traffic department head Eugenio Patanè said various studies have shown that reducing the speed to 30 kilometers per hour reduces the danger and severity of accidents. “It is therefore not an ideological decision,” explained Patanè.
“This is how we reduce the risk of death”
In addition, the number of pedestrians has increased in recent years – probably due to the influx of tourists exploring the city on foot – which requires new concepts. «We have a duty to reduce the speed difference between the stronger road user and the more vulnerable one. This is how we reduce the risk of death,” he said.
According to a report by the Roma Today portal, the Eternal City is the 17th busiest city in the world. The streets are overcrowded in many areas, especially during rush hour. Last year, Romans spent an average of around 76 hours in traffic jams, according to a study according to Roma Today.
Bologna started
Bologna was the first major Italian city to have a speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour on city streets since 2024. Excluded from this are the expressways in the city in Emilia-Romagna. The results from the first year with the regulation show: Not a single pedestrian died on the streets of Bologna in 2024.
Paris has also made headlines in the past. For similar reasons, the speed limit has been 30 km/h in the French city since 2021. Since autumn 2024, special rules have also applied to SUVs; for example, they have had to pay three times as much in parking fees in the city center.
(sda/dpa/con)