Overview

• On June 17 at about 4 a.m., an 80-year-old man misinterpreted his route and drove a Mercedes A-Class onto the 135-step Spanish Steps from Piazza di Spagna.
• The car became lodged midway on the 18th-century travertine staircase and was removed by firefighters using a crane.
• Officials took the driver to a hospital for evaluations where he tested negative for drugs and alcohol and held a valid license under Italy’s biennial renewal rule for octogenarians.
• Preliminary inspections by archaeologists and city authorities found that the steps sustained no structural damage.
• The case echoes a 2022 incident involving a Saudi national and highlights ongoing concerns over navigation errors and monument preservation.