ITALY'S transport ministry has announced plans to increase the country's speed limit from 130km/h to 150km/h (93mph) - as part of a road safety initiative.

It believes that motorists who drive faster usually drive better and are more careful, claiming that only 9% of fatal accidents were caused by speeding.

The change will affect three-lane motorways from January 1 next year and will be introduced despite the country having one of Europe's worst records for accidents.

The country's transport minister Pietro Lunardi said: 'Where it is safe to go faster, it is the right thing to do.'

Official figures show that Italy is third to France and Germany for annual road deaths. Figures for 2000, the latest available, show 6,410 people were killed on Italy's roads.