Elderly Driver Gets Stuck in Luxury Car on Rome's Spanish Steps
An 80-year-old man drove his luxury Mercedes down Rome's Spanish Steps, causing a traffic incident and raising safety concerns.
Subscribe to unlock this story
We really don't like cutting you off, but you've reached your monthly limit. At just $5/month, subscriptions are how we keep this project going. Start your free 7-day trial today!
Get StartedHave an account? Sign in
Overview
- An 80-year-old man drove a luxury Mercedes sedan down the Spanish Steps in Rome, a site not designed for vehicles.
- The incident caused significant media attention, highlighting varying levels of bias in reporting.
- Firefighters were called to the scene and used a crane to remove the stuck vehicle.
- The driver tested negative for alcohol and received a citation for the incident.
- This event raises questions about vehicle access to historic sites and public safety measures.
Report issue
Read both sides in 5 minutes each day
Analysis
Emphasizes the inappropriate use of the Spanish Steps for vehicle access by an elderly driver.
"An 80-year-old man drove a compact luxury Mercedes-Benz A Class sedan down the landmark Spanish Steps in Rome early on Tuesday before getting stuck part way down, municipal police said in a statement."
ABC News"An 80-year-old man drove a compact luxury Mercedes-Benz A Class sedan down the landmark Spanish Steps in Rome early on Tuesday before getting stuck part way down."
Associated PressArticles (3)
FAQ
The area around the Spanish Steps is closed to occasional traffic, but residents' cars, taxis, and vehicles with special permits are allowed. However, there are no specific mentions of vehicle restrictions directly on the steps themselves, as driving there is not intended or legally allowed.
Rome's LEZ, known as Fascia verde, covers the entire city. However, it focuses more on emissions rather than physical access restrictions, though it could indirectly affect which vehicles are allowed in certain areas.
Currently, there are no specific safety measures mentioned such as barriers to prevent vehicles from entering the Spanish Steps themselves. General traffic control in the area is managed by restrictions for occasional traffic, but it relies heavily on enforcement rather than physical barriers.
History
- This story does not have any previous versions.