Do you ever park your car without locking the doors or leaving a window open? Watch out for a fine! Did you know that this behavior is subject to a monetary penalty? It happened last month to a motorist in Monte Berico (VI), who was fined for leaving the front left window open: "He parked without taking appropriate precautions to prevent unauthorized use of the vehicle," reads the municipal police report cited by the Giornale di Vicenza.
The reference in the report is to paragraph 4 of article 158 of the Highway Code, almost literally quoted: "During parking and stopping, the driver must take appropriate precautions to avoid accidents and prevent the use of the vehicle without their consent." In essence, the rule requires the driver to take all necessary precautions to prevent the vehicle from being misused or used illegally. Violation of this duty of care therefore exposes one to the risk of a penalty, ranging from 42 to 173 euros.
In practice, simply leaving a window open a few centimeters is unlikely to result in police intervention, but it could lead to other consequences. In case of theft, if it is proven that the car was not properly locked, the insurance company might refuse to pay compensation; the company considers such behavior a form of negligence that facilitates the thief.
