The Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves, has stated that driving over 180 or 200 km/h could become a crime under the new Highway Code. This follows concerns about a high number of pedestrian accidents in Portugal, which caused 31 deaths in the first half of this year.
In response to reader questions about whether speed limits apply to official cars, including those carrying ministers, legislation clarifies the situation. Official vehicles transporting government members must adhere to the speed limits set by the Highway Code, such as 120 km/h on motorways.
The only exception is for vehicles on properly signaled urgent missions, as stipulated in Article 64 of the Highway Code. A notable case involved the car of former minister Eduardo Cabrita in 2021, which was speeding and led to a worker's death. The driver was convicted of negligent homicide, highlighting the driver's responsibility to follow regulations.
