The Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves, announced that the government is finalizing a new Highway Code (Código da Estrada) which may classify driving at speeds of 180 km/h or higher as a criminal offense rather than a traffic violation. The new code, currently 70% complete, also aims to improve road safety through increased speed cameras and surprise police checks.
Driving over 180 km/h may become a criminal offense
Wednesday, 12 August 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
Luís Neves will take office on Monday as Minister of Internal Administration. He graduated in law and has worked at the Judicial Police since 1995, where he served as coordinator of a national unit and developed a long career in criminal investigation.
The Código da Estrada (Highway Code) is the primary set of traffic laws and regulations governing road safety and driver conduct in Portugal. The government is currently drafting a new version of this code, which may introduce stricter penalties for high-speed driving, such as classifying speeds of 180 or 200 km/h as criminal offenses.
6 sources
- Ministry of Internal Administration admits that driving over 180 km/h could become a criminal offencecmjornal.pt ·
- Driving at over 180 km/h could become a criminal offence in the new Highway Codepublico.pt ·
- Excessive speeding over 180 km/h may become a criminal offence in the new Highway Codedn.pt ·
- Driving at over 180 km/h could become a criminal offenceobservador.pt ·
- Driving at over 180 km/h could become a criminal offence, says ministereco.sapo.pt ·
- Driving over 180 km/h could become a crime, admits MAIrtp.pt ·
