Sicily car hire from 15 eur a day

Penalties

Perhaps, it would be a big mistake to assume that once being at the homeland of the Italian Mafia, you can break the rules with impunity. Therefore, it would not go amiss if you become aware of the following list, which specifies the penalty amounts, which are provided throughout Italy for traffic offenders, regardless of what car they have been driven — a personal one or a car leased in Sicily.

Speed limits

Let's say you belong to the fans of fast driving — well, that very Russian man that was once described by Gogol. In this case a reminder of the existing in Sicily 5% margin of error may come in handy for you when determining the speed limit exceeding. This tiny creephole may sometimes save you from penalties. But still, please remember:

• In a built-up area it is allowed to drive not faster than 50 km/h;
• Outside of a built-up area the speed may be 90 km/h;
• A speed limit for the road section between the two built-up areas can be 110 km/h;
• A large multilane express highway provides for the driving under the speed limit of 130 km/h.

Parking

Parking in Sicily is quite a complicated event, while the cars stand tightly to each other, and so you may need all your skills in parking under the conditions of «zero-zero visibility». Though, the Russians are no stranger to this.

The parking zones in Italy are marked with three colors. The while line’s color supposes that after purchasing a parking disc you can use the service of this free of charge parking area. The most important is not to forget to set on your disc the time period, at which you would like to return and take back your car.

The blue line’s color will suggest that your parking zone is equipped with automated parking meters.

Also, please pay attention to the underground parking zones, which are equipped with lifting gates, and the payment is accepted either automatically or by a parking operator.

Please, try to escape the yellow lines — these parking zones are intended for special vehicles. So, after having parked your car at one of such parking lots, you are at a risk of losing your car when you later come for it. It may easily appear at an auto impound.

Permissible blood alcohol content level for a person driving a car booked in Sicily

The top limit, which a driver ca afford while driving a car rented in Sicily, is 0,8‰, no more. As the higher figures will result in sever punishments, up to the possibility of imprisonment. And the penalty values will surely strike your imagination. So, even taking into consideration that Sicily is the cradle of mafia, the police will not let you drink while driving more than a glass of beer or a glass of wine.

Traffic regulations

The Sicilians, despite their reputation of the most "criminal" island’s residents, are very god-fearing and philoprogenitive. Therefore:

• The children under the age of 3 years are transported in the restraint devices specially intended for this purpose. And those children who are older than 3 years, but lower than 150 cm are transported in the boosters, corresponding to the child’s weight;
• The safety belts should be fastened irrespective of whether the passengers sit at the front or back seats;
• The dimmed headlights should be turned on in tunnels as well as under the conditions of poor visibility. More than that, the time of day does not matter;
• It is better to equip your car with a wireless communication system, because talking by cell phone without a hands-free set is forbidden.

Toll roads and driving in a rented car around Sicily

There are fee-based motorways in Sicily. While the toll payment is pretty cheap, unlike the continental Italy. The price is taken for the number of covered kilometers. You should also remember that despite the reputation of expressways, such roads are not immune from the formation of traffic jams stretching for many kilometers. That is why, sometimes it is worth arming with patience.

Also, to your surprise, even if you are driving at a speed of 130 km/h, you may hear beeping sounds and see flashing lights from behind of your car, demanding to free the lane. But this is the nature of all Italian people, and especially the Sicilians.

The most expensive highway in Sicily is Messina-Palermo, because there is a big number of tunnels. While entering the toll motorway, avoid lanes marked with the yellow color. They are solely intended for the automated system of payment.