
ÖAMTC tips for additional toll claims from Italy
Italy is once again one of the top travel destinations for summer holidays this year. But the good memories of past holidays quickly fade when, years later, a request for toll payment lands in the mailbox. "The ÖAMTC legal advice service is currently receiving many inquiries from club members about demand letters from Italy. Most of them are toll payment requests, but sometimes they go back a long time, in some cases as far back as 2015. In most cases, we still advise payment, as in Italy such requests only expire after ten years," explains ÖAMTC lawyer Verena Pronebner. How do the requests come about and what should you bear in mind? If you receive a letter from Italy, you should first check whether the request is plausible - i.e. whether the specified time coincides with the Italian holiday. Then you try to find out the reason for the letter: if, for example, you are accused of speeding or of entering a restricted traffic zone (zona a traffico limitato), then it is a police fine and you have to act quickly. This must be served within 360 days and you usually have the option of paying a reduced fine within five days. The toll surcharges that are currently frequent for non-payment of the distance-dependent motorway toll are often sent by a debt collection agency. The amounts are between ten and 130 euros. "Many members believe that they have paid the toll because the barrier opened and free passage was possible. However, the barriers open and let the drivers pass, even if no toll amount was debited or the wrong lane was used (e.g. for Telepass holders). This is intended to prevent traffic jams.