Travelling to Italy is a bucket list regular. In 2013, Italy had 47.7 million visitors, making it the fifth most visited country in the world. Whether it’s the history, the culture, the architecture, or the food, Italy has something for everyone. But be careful on the roads if you’re heading to Italy, especially in the southern region.
According to an article from the Telegraph, a new regulation allows drivers in the Avellino region to consume as many as 8 glasses of wine, and escape with a just small fine if pulled over.
Carlo Sessa, the provincial governor of Avellino, has reversed regulations, making the penalties for drinking and driving far less severe. Original laws suspended driver's license for 6 months to a year if they were caught with a blood alcohol content (BAC) between 0.08% and .15%. With the governor's new regulations, a driver caught with the same BAC would only have to pay a fine of €800.
That's just under a $900 fine for drinking as much as a bottle of wine and then taking to the winding roads of the Italian countryside.
According to the article, the region's roads have been some of the most dangerous in all of Europe for a number of years. Accordingly, Sessa has received a lot of criticism for his new regulations, and has even been accused of suffering from heatstroke.
Whether you're in Italy or here in the United States, you should never drink and drive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 30 people die every day from alcohol-impaired driving accidents in the U.S. alone. That’s more than one death every hour. Drinking and driving is reckless and incredibly dangerous.
A glass of wine with dinner is one thing if you have time to sober up before driving home, but you should never drive when under the influence of alcohol, even if you're under the legal limit. Be responsible, and be safe.
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