Car with 81-year-old at wheel careens down Spanish Steps

Rome --An 81-year-old man has been reported to the authorities after driving his car down the tourist-famed Spanish Steps in Rome in the early hours of Monday morning. The incident has caused outrage among residents and raised fresh concerns about the protection of the historic site.

 The alarm was raised at around 4:30 a.m. when the man, driving a Mercedes A-Class, was spotted descending the iconic staircase that links the Trinità dei Monti church to the Piazza di Spagna. Local police, who were on patrol nearby, quickly intervened and found the driver in a confused state. Although shaken, he did not require medical treatment and later tested negative for alcohol.

 
 Firefighters were called to assist with the removal of the vehicle, which had become lodged among the steps. A crane and wooden planks were used to extract the car without causing further harm to the structure. According to heritage experts who inspected the site, the damage appears to be limited to minor abrasions that can be addressed through standard cleaning procedures.
The area remained cordoned off until the vehicle was removed at dawn, with access denied to pedestrians for safety reasons. The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation. It remains unclear whether the man suffered a medical episode, experienced a mechanical fault, or was simply disoriented.

 
 Footage from surveillance cameras confirmed the unusual descent, and authorities have formally reported the man. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the event has reignited public debate about safeguarding one of Rome’s most treasured landmarks.
Locals and tourists alike expressed disbelief and frustration. “I’m shocked,” said one woman passing nearby on Tuesday morning. “A staircase like that should be completely protected. It’s not just a symbol of Rome—it’s a world heritage site.”
The incident has drawn comparisons to previous cases of vandalism and negligence. In May 2022, a 37-year-old Romanian man drove a rental car down the same steps, causing significant damage before fleeing the scene. He was later identified via CCTV and charged with aggravated damage to cultural property.

 
 That same year, two American tourists were filmed throwing an electric scooter down the staircase, resulting in thousands of euros in damage. These episodes prompted widespread outrage and calls for stricter protective measures around the site.
“This kind of thing keeps happening,” said Lucia, a local resident of 20 years. “We need stricter controls, and above all, some kind of physical barrier to prevent vehicles from accessing the steps.”

 jp-ps