Red-flagged weekend: 13 million Italians traveling

First major weekend of departures . The summer evacuation plan kicks in : in view of the significant increase in traffic, Anas (a company of the FS Group) has increased staff commitments throughout the country and reduced the number of construction sites.

Until September 8th, 1,348 roadworks will be closed or suspended , approximately 81% of the active ones (1,672). To facilitate traffic flow , 98 immovable roadworks, equivalent to approximately 680 km of road, have been closed since July 1st. According to estimates by the ANAS Road Mobility Observatory, there will be over 273 million vehicle movements on the roads and highways under its jurisdiction until August 31st. This weekend , 13,247,000 vehicle movements are expected.

Traffic is expected to increase steadily along the Anas network for the last weekend of July. Viabilità Italia has forecast a red warning for July 25, Saturday, July 26, and Sunday afternoon, July 27 : Friday afternoon and Saturday morning for increased travel from large urban centers for the first departures and short weekends to holiday resorts and seaside resorts; Sunday afternoon for returns to large cities.

" We are committed to ensuring smooth and efficient traffic flow for all users despite heavy traffic ," explained Anas CEO Claudio Andrea Gemme. " As per our evacuation plan, 2,500 personnel are operational, with Anas teams on duty 24/7 to monitor the road network and respond immediately in the event of an emergency . Together with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Police, we have always been on the front lines to ensure road safety for citizens along the network . With our work," CEO Gemme emphasizes , "we want to ensure that those who travel have a peaceful holiday. We recommend that everyone, without exception, always practice proper driving behavior , as we emphasize in our advertising campaign with our commercial: 'When you're driving, everything can wait . ' "

The increase in traffic could affect the main tourist routes : the A2 “Autostrada del Mediterraneo” which crosses Campania, Basilicata and Calabria; the 106 Jonica and 18 Tirrena Inferiore state roads in Calabria ; the A19 Palermo-Catania and A29 Palermo-Mazara del Vallo motorways in Sicily ; the 131 Carlo Felice state road in Sardinia ; the 148 Pontina state road in Lazio , a particularly busy artery which, together with the SS7 “Appia” road, ensures connections between Rome and the tourist resorts of lower Lazio; the E45 route (SS675 and SS3 bis) which passes through Umbria, Tuscany, Emilia Romagna and connects the north-east with central Italy; the SS1 Aurelia (Lazio, Tuscany and Liguria), the SS16 Adriatica (Puglia, Molise, Abruzzo, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto) routes. To the north, the RA13 and RA14 motorway links in Friuli-Venezia Giulia towards the border crossings, the SS36 of Lake Como and Spluga in Lombardy, the SS45 of Val Trebbia in Liguria, the SS26 of the Aosta Valley and the SS309 Romea between Emilia-Romagna and Veneto and the SS 51 of Alemagna in Veneto.

Anas has compiled a list of tips for safe travel. These are common-sense suggestions worth repeating, especially for those traveling during the summer months and considering the intense heat of this period . These are the precautions to follow:

1) Bring basic necessities and a supply of water to avoid dehydration during the trip , especially on days when very hot weather is forecast.

2) Check the vehicle , especially tire pressure, light efficiency, oil and water levels

3) Check the weather forecast and the calendar of critical days , when travel times may be longer than usual, evaluating any alternative routes

4) Do not consume alcohol or drugs before or while driving

5) All passengers and the driver, without exception, must wear seat belts and secure children in child seats or adapters (up to 1.50 metres in height)

6) Respect the speed limits and always stay in the free right lane, maintaining a safe distance.

7) If you feel tired or sleepy, stop immediately, in a safe service area, to rest and recover your energy.

8) Never get distracted while driving. There are three types of distractions to avoid when driving: visual distraction, not looking at the road; cognitive distraction, not paying attention to driving; manual distraction, having your hands busy on the steering wheel.

The A1 Milan-Naples motorway junction for the A1 Direttissima is closed towards Bologna, starting from Barberino di Mugello (Florence), for repairs following an accident: an articulated lorry carrying bulk cargo caught fire overnight. ASPI reported at 8:50 a.m. a 6 km tailback on the A1 between Calenzano and the junction with the A1 Direttissima towards Bologna. Therefore, it is recommended that those heading towards Bologna take the A1 Panoramica as an alternative. The Barberino di Mugello exit for those coming from Florence, it is further explained, is still usable. As an alternative to closing the Barberino di Mugello entrance towards Bologna, it is recommended to enter the Direttissima at Firenzuola.

The fire department responded to the truck fire at 2:00 a.m.: a team and two fire engines were dispatched from the Florence-West and Calenzano fire departments. Traffic was blocked during the extinguishing process. Traffic police and Autostrade personnel were also on site. Also last night, at 2:30 a.m., firefighters responded to a fire on the A1 motorway in the province of Arezzo, involving the tires of a truck trailer on the northbound carriageway.