The first summer exodus begins, millions heading for vacation

The first weekend of the hot Italian summer is marked by the inevitable exodus of millions of Italians who have set off towards tourist destinations or the usual trips out of town. Traffic on the main roads has increased throughout the day, but without any particular problems along the routes that lead to the sea or the mountains. According to the Police calendar, in fact, the weekend that ends tomorrow is considered 'yellow', meaning with heavy traffic. Particular attention, however, will be paid to the next weekend, from 4 to 6 July, when the first red dot of the summer will appear, starting from Friday afternoon. The favorite destination of Italians, obviously the sea, but there are also those who have preferred to take refuge in the mountains to enjoy the cool breeze after days of sultry heat. The routes affected are, in a southerly direction, the main routes towards holiday resorts, in particular along the Adriatic, Tyrrhenian and Ionian ridges and along the border crossings towards France, Slovenia and Croatia, along the Alpine arc, and out of urban centres. A significant flow of traffic is then expected in the vicinity of urban centres, especially starting from late Sunday afternoon, in conjunction with weekend returns. Particular attention must be paid to traffic entering and exiting Rome where the city's patron saints, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, are celebrated on 29 June. The roads most affected will be the Grande Raccordo Anulare, the Rome-Fiumicino, and the main consular roads. Particular attention must also be paid towards Sicily along the A19 Palermo-Catania motorway, which is undergoing significant infrastructure work. Anas - with 2,500 employees on shifts - has made additional personnel available to smooth out traffic and assist users. The police and carabinieri have also increased the number of patrols, including motorbikes, that monitor the main motorway and extra-urban roads; the overflight of their respective aircraft is also planned. To combat driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, control activities will also be intensified along the routes connecting to destinations of tourist interest, with the systematic use, even at night, of breathalysers and precursors. Finally, particular attention will be paid to combating petty crime in motorway service and parking areas.