Six night clubs in Italy sign up to pilot project for drivers over alcohol limit.

Italy's transport ministry is to introduce trial measures to provide free taxis to drivers who, after undergoing alcohol tests on leaving night clubs, exceed the legal limit for driving.

Transport minister and deputy premier Matteo Salvini on Thursday announced the pilot project whose aim is to "prevent the increasingly frequent carnage" on the country's roads at weekends.

The experimental scheme will initially involve six venues around Italy, on Saturday nights from August to mid-September, with the results to be evaluated at the end, Salvini said.

Taxi e navette gratuite a fine serata per chi ha bevuto troppo: un’iniziativa concreta, finalizzata a prevenire rischi e tragedie sulle strade, per la quale oggi al Mit abbiamo firmato un protocollo d’intesa con le associazioni dei locali di intrattenimento notturno.

L’idea,… pic.twitter.com/yrh0JV7yaP

— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 3, 2023

The initiative will involve the night clubs identifying those who are unfit to get behind the wheel, providing vouchers to taxis to take the driver home along with the friends they had driven to the venue earlier that night.

The transport ministry, which will fund the scheme, drew up the measures in collaboration with representatives from the night club industry.

The trial project will be offered at the following six clubs, in agreement with local taxi companies: Mascara All Music, Mantua; Il Muretto, Jesolo Lido (Venice); Praja, Gallipoli (Lecce); Baia Imperiale, Gabicce Mare (Pesaro - Urbino); Naki Discoteca, Pavia; La Capannina, Castiglione della Pescaia (Grosseto).