Car Rentals and Safety

Hi Terry, don't forget to get an International Driving Permit before you leave. Your trip sounds amazing! Have fun!

Those are nice places to visit.

http://italy.usembassy.gov/acs/general-driving.html

Americans visiting Italy as tourists and intending to drive should
obtain an International Driving Permit before leaving the U.S.

Tourists may also use their valid American driver's license if
accompanied by an official translation in Italian

Traffic Violations in Italy

U.S. citizens driving in Italy are reminded that they must adhere to
the local driving laws and regulations. Vehicle traffic in some
historic downtown areas of cities and towns throughout Italy is
limited by a system of permits (called “ZTL” and functioning the same
way as an EasyPass system in the United States might on the freeway).
Cameras record the license plates of cars driving in parts of the city
that require a permit. Although most of the automated verification
stations are clearly marked, if a driver passes one it is impossible
to know at the time that a violation occurred or has been recorded.
Violators are not pulled over or stopped, and there is no personal
contact with a police officer. Whenever possible, the fines imposed
for these violations are forwarded to the driver’s home in the United
States to request payment. The fines are cumulative for each time a
driver passes a control point.

A similar system of automated traffic control cameras is in place in
many parts of the highway system and is used to ticket speeding
violations. The ticket usually includes a short section explaining how
to contest, or appeal, the ticket.

The ticket(s) may or may not be directly from the municipal police.
The local Italian authorities usually outsource the debt collecting
for violations committed by overseas visitors. The debt collecting
company effectively buys the debt and then takes it upon themselves
to obtain reimbursement from the driver of the car. In the case of a
rental car company, a request for payment is sent to the company who
in turn normally provides the name and address of the person renting
the car at the time of the violation. The advantage of this for the
overseas visitor is that instructions for payment or appeal are in
English.

In general, Italian law allows two ways of contesting the fine. One
can either write a letter to the Prefetto (local representative of the
national government) of the city where the violation occurred asking
them to cancel the ticket, or one can file an appeal through the
Justice of Peace (Giudice di Pace) for that city (in person or through
a legal representative). A list of English-speaking attorneys can be
found at English speaking professionals.

For further information, please visit the Traffic Safety and Road
Conditions section of State Department’s country specific information
page, at
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/italy.html

Although not leaving valuables in the car is always a good idea, however personal safety would be the last of my concerns. You are going to places (small Tuscan towns) where crime of any type is almost non existent. Tuscany is not the Detroit area. Feel free to dress as smartly as you like. Most local Italians will probably out dress you anyway.

Rather, the things you need to be aware of are:
- ZTL: Limited Traffic Zone. Most towns have camera enforced traffic restrictions in ancient historical centers (only emergency vehicles or residents with permit are allowed to drive in). Research what they are and the road signs warning you of a ZTL. There are plenty of parking lots outside the historical cores of those towns. They are indicated by a big white P on a blue sign. Park there and walk in.
- Road signs. Europe uses the International road signs system. The US has not adopted it, except for few signs. Go to the Wikipedia article "road signs in Italy" and become familiar with them.
- Speed limits are enforced by camera. You may never see a cop, yet you might discover later that your rental car has collected plenty of speed tickets. Observe the limits.
- Freeways. You won't probably drive on freeways much, but when you do, remember that cruising in the left lane is not permitted. The left lane is for passing only and must be cleared for faster vehicles behind you as soon as you complete your passing.
- Roads: most of your driving will be on regular two lane highways. But Tuscany is not flat like Michigan, it's very mountaneous, therefore roads are very curvy and often treacherous. Drive with caution. Also in those curvy roads you will likely be able to maintain average speeds of only about 40km/h (25 mph) therefore take that into consideration when you estimate travel time.
- Others have already mentioned the IDP requirement.
Enjoy your trip.

Like most anywhere.. don't leave valuables in car( trunk ).. just reading a thread on another forum where a lady is STILL upset because enroute to a destination they stopped their rental car at some tourist site .. left it for 2 hours.. and returned to find it robbed.. and they had apparently purchased a large amount of somewhat expensive souvenirs and they were of course all stolen. She did note the thieves left their bags of clothes.. just took the souvenirs..

She said it was too much stuff to carry ( because many of us suggested that if stopping and parking somewhere to take valuables out of car with you) .. so they left stuff in trunk of car. No doubt checking it before they left car.. letting anyone watching know they had stuff there. sigh.

She also said they did not park in a way that makes it difficult( park backed into a wall. as close as you can get, impossible for a person to stand behind the trunk to pry it open ) makes your car not easy to break into trunk

Since you have mentioned being in Hawaii I think you have a good idea of all this stuff as Hawaii does have a reputation as being a place you have to be careful in for rental car robbery.. so go and have fun and take all your normal precautions.

I think you should review the part in post above about the traffic restricted areas.. ( personally I would be paranoid driving in a big city like Rome etc because of those laws.. afraid I would be too distracted finding my way around to notice the restricted passage signs.. lol) If in country you wont have to worry about that though I guess.

I didn't realize Hawaii had that reputation but we were there a year ago for me to give a speech in Hilo and on the way from the airport parking lots to the check in for rental cars with our luggage on a cart, my husband's nice outdoor jacket slipped off the cart. The distance was less than a block -- maybe 100 feet. We noticed it immediately when we arrived at the outdoor car rental booth and immediately turned back to pick it up. It had been stolen in that length of time and short distance. And of course we checked the other rental booths to see if anyone had turned it in.

I now someone who had ever item in their trunk stolen near a beach in Italy where they stopped to swim. At the least never leave any valuables in the car.

Purchase the insurance. American Express/several credit card policies do not cover Italy.

As with every country follow up on laws and follow the rules and nothing will happen. ZTL I was petrified after reading here on the boards , once in Italy I saw them and tried to avoid them. If you don't you get a fine. So whats the big deal? I am sure most of us have gotten a ticket once in a while for a traffic violation. Do you leave cameras purses in your car openly in USA cities? Common sense is all you need and I am sure you have that. Happy traveling

And keep in mind that rental cars look like rental cars to petty thieves who specialize in breaking and entering tourist rental cars. And tourist look like tourist no matter how hard they try not to look like tourist.

Don't travel with anything you consider irreplaceable. A vacation isn't fun if you are going to be worried about stuff. Better to hang loose.