Travelling east-west you are going against the grain of central Italy and will have to put up with slower roads over the Apennines. The area's antique towns were never built for cars and you will find that some historic centres are now closed to unauthorized traffic. Parking, particularly in the morning and early evening, is often a headache. If parking spaces are marked with a blue line, it means you have to pay - usually by buying a ticket from a nearby machine. Off the motorway, petrol stations close for up to three hours at lunchtime and all day Sunday.
Traffic rules follow European norms and signing follows international conventions.
If in doubt over precedence at a junction give way to traffic coming from the right. Seat belts are compulsory and you must carry a reflective warning triangle to be placed at least 50 m behind your car when broken down. Contrary to received opinion, the standard of driving in the Marche is generally good and, avoiding city centres, you shouldn't return home prematurely aged. Away from the big cities, your car is unlikely to be stolen, particularly if it is right-hand drive. Car radios, however, are an easy target - if you can't take them with you, make sure windows are closed and doors locked.