‘Free taxi’ project in Italy

Within the scope of the project, which started in 6 regions of Italy and is still in the testing phase, free taxi service is offered to alcoholics to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol.

In the project, if it is determined that the alcohol level exceeds the legal limit, especially in the breathalyzer test applied to people leaving nightclubs, they are asked to be taken home safely by calling a taxi .

The trial of the project, supported by Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Matteo Salvini, will continue until mid-September.

On the other hand, the opposition argued that the project in question “incited young people to consume excessively”, while some citizens objected, stating that the free service would be covered by taxes.

According to data from the European Council for Transport Safety, at least one drunk driver was involved in around 8.7 percent of the approximately 59,000 traffic accidents reported to the police in Italy in 2019. (BRITISH AUTOMOBILE CLUB)