Italy Emergency Numbers 2026: 112, 113, ACI breakdown

The 112 universal number

The European emergency number 112 works in all of Italy for any emergency: police, ambulance, fire. Three things to know:

• Free from any phone: even foreign mobiles without credit, locked devices, or phones without SIM
• Multilingual operators: 112 in Italy operates in Italian and English, with multilingual interpreter access for other languages
• Automatic location (AML): a smartphone sends its own position to the emergency centre. Handset-derived caller location has been mandatory across the EU since December 2020 under Directive 2018/1972, and every phone sold in the EU has had to support it since March 2022. On Android 4.1 or later and iOS 11.3 or later it happens by itself; on an older phone your position is only estimated from the mobile mast.

If unsure which service you need, always call 112. The operator dispatches the right service.

Specific Italian emergency numbers

When to call which

• 113: crime in progress, immediate danger, theft
• 118: medical emergency (heart attack, severe injury, illness)
• 115: fire, vehicle accident, water rescue, gas leak

For visitors: 112 is always the right choice if you’re not sure. Info-only lines (not emergencies): 1500 Health Ministry public-information line (vaccination info, heat-wave, NOT a pharmacy-on-duty service).

Motorway-specific: SOS phones and assistance

Orange SOS columns

Every 2 kilometres along Italian motorways there is an orange “SOS” column. Free, automatically geolocated, direct line to the motorway operator’s control room (Centro Operativo).

How to use:

1. Pull onto the emergency lane (carefully; reflective vest first)
2. Walk to the nearest SOS column (max 1 km away)
3. Press the button; an operator answers
4. Describe the situation; help dispatched

Columns work without coins or cards. Always free.

MyWay app (Autostrade per l’Italia)

The official Autostrade-per-l’Italia app is called MyWay (iOS App-ID 398469440, also on Google Play). It offers live traffic, camera feeds, Tutor speed monitoring, service-area info and a “Follow Me” motorway map. For Anas national roads use VAI (Viaggiare Anas Informati); nationwide traffic info uses iCCISS.

Languages: Italian and English. Download before travelling; requires mobile signal.

What to do in an accident

Italian law requires specific steps. Penalty for leaving an accident scene (Art. 189 Codice della Strada): fuga (flight) = 6 months to 3 years prison; omissione di soccorso (failure to assist injured) = 1 to 3 years prison; up to 5-year licence suspension, plus civil liability. If serious injuries or fatalities occur, Art. 589-bis / 590-bis apply with substantially higher sentences.

If you’re involved

1. Stop in a safe place: as far right as possible. Hazard lights on.
2. Put on hi-vis vest BEFORE exiting the car (legal requirement)
3. Triangle at least 100 metres behind on autostrada / expressway, 50 metres on other roads (Art. 162 CdS + Reg. d’Attuazione)
4. Help the injured: stabilise situation. Don’t move anyone with neck/back injuries unless fire risk
5. Call 112 with location, vehicle count, injury count. Stay on line until operator releases you
6. Exchange details with other parties: name, address, plate, insurance. Photograph plates, damage, and scene
7. Fill out European Accident Report (Constatazione Amichevole) if cars damaged. Both drivers sign
8. Wait for police if injuries or serious damage
9. Don’t move vehicles until photographed, unless they create danger

If you’re a witness

• Stop safely if possible, hazard lights on
• Call 112 with exact location (motorway km marker, street name, GPS)
• Don’t touch injured unless immediate risk (fire, vehicle rollover)
• Stay for statement if needed
• On motorway: never cross the carriageway to “help”; too dangerous

European Accident Report (Modulo CID / Constatazione Amichevole)

Italian rental and personal insurance always include a standardized CID form, usable for cross-border accidents. Sign with the other party, exchange copies. Even minor accidents: complete a CID for insurance claims later.

Assistance for foreign drivers

ACI Soccorso Stradale

Italy’s national auto club, like the German ADAC or British AA. ACI dispatches tow trucks and breakdown assistance.

• From Italy: 803 116 (Numero Verde, 24/7, 365 days)
• From abroad: +39 06 49981 (24/7, officially published by ACI Global Servizi)
• ACI/MyACI app: available in English, request via app with GPS

Note: +39 06 491115 is the ACI Viaggiare-Sicuri travel-info line for Italians going abroad, NOT roadside assistance. Do not confuse.

Costs (indicative; exact tariffs at aciglobalservizi.it):

• Tow to nearest garage (within 30 km): typically low three-digit EUR
• Distance towing: per km supplement
• Roadside repair: by hour

Many European motoring clubs (ADAC Plus/Premium (Auslandsschutzbrief), ÖAMTC, RAC UK, RACE Spain) have reciprocal agreements with ACI via FIA/ARC Europe. Check your home club’s international assistance number before paying out of pocket; ACI invoices your home club directly for covered members. Basic ADAC membership does NOT cover abroad; abroad requires the Plus or Premium tier.

Insurance with European assistance

Most EU and UK car insurances include European breakdown coverage. Typical coverage:

• Tow to nearest garage (25-50 km)
• Replacement vehicle 24-72h
• Hotel if breakdown extends past day
• Repatriation to home country if vehicle unrepairable

Verify with your insurer before travel. Common providers with strong European coverage: Allianz, AXA, Generali, Aviva, RAC, ADAC.

Embassy/consulate contacts

For non-vehicle issues (passport loss, serious crime, hospitalization):

For your country: check before travel, save numbers in phone.

Other useful numbers

Health and medical care

Italy has a strong public health system (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale, SSN). For foreign visitors:

EU/EEA visitors with EHIC

European Health Insurance Card grants access to public hospitals at same cost as Italian residents. Carry physical card + ID.

Process if you need medical care:

1. Go to Pronto Soccorso (emergency department) of nearest hospital
2. Present EHIC + ID
3. Triage based on urgency
4. Possible copay (€1-25) for non-life-threatening visit
5. Bill goes to your country’s SSN later

EHIC does NOT cover repatriation; you need travel insurance for that.

Major hospitals for visitors

Pharmacies (farmacie)

Green cross sign. Open typically 8:30-12:30, 15:30-19:30. Pharmacy on duty (farmacia di turno) for nights and Sundays: list posted on pharmacy door.

For prescription medicines: bring original prescription + ID. EU prescriptions accepted; non-EU prescriptions: pharmacy may need to consult doctor.

SAMU equivalent: 118 (medical)

• 118: Italian medical emergency dispatch (equivalent to French SAMU)
• Operator triages: dispatches ambulance, helicopter, or first responder
• Sends MS (Mobile Sanitaria) for serious cases
• For routine medical issues: use “Guardia Medica” (after-hours doctor), typically reached via city hospital

Foreign embassies in Rome

Most foreign embassies are located in central Rome, mainly around Via Vittorio Veneto and the Villa Borghese area. Key addresses for English-speaking visitors:

• British Embassy: Via XX Settembre 80/A, 00187 Rome, +39 06 4220 0001
• US Embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Rome, +39 06 46741
• Irish Embassy: Villa Spada, Via Giacomo Medici 25, 00153 Rome, +39 06 585 2381
• Canadian Embassy: Via Zara 30, 00198 Rome, +39 06 854 441
• Australian Embassy: Via Antonio Bosio 5, 00161 Rome, +39 06 852 721

What consulates can help with: lost passport, emergency travel document, contact with relatives, referral to English-speaking lawyers and doctors. What they will not do: pay fines, cover medical bills, or intervene in police procedures.

If you lose your passport: report at the nearest police station first (get a written denuncia), then contact your embassy. Most embassies issue an emergency travel document (single trip) for around €100 within one working day.

Honorary consulates: available in Milan, Naples, Florence and Venice for most nationalities. These handle simpler cases while central Rome remains the main hub.

Practical tips for visitors

• Save 112, 113, 118, ACI 803 116 (Italy) / +39 06 49981 (from abroad), and your embassy number in phone before departure
• Install the MyWay app (Autostrade per l’Italia) for autostrada emergencies
• Carry European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for medical
• Keep digital copies of vehicle registration, insurance, passport on phone
• If breakdown on autostrade: triangle, vest, exit right, wait outside car behind barrier
• For mountain emergencies in Alps/Apennines: 112 works but mobile signal may be poor; carry external battery
• If you don’t speak Italian: state “English” when 112 answers; they’ll route to interpreter
• For remote areas (Apennines, Sicily interior): GPS-based location helps; download offline maps

Resources

• ACI Soccorso Stradale: 803 116 (from Italy) / +39 06 49981 (from abroad), aciglobalservizi.it
• Polizia di Stato: poliziadistato.it
• Health Ministry: salute.gov.it
• ENIT Italian Tourist Board: italia.it
• European 112 info: ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/112