You are in Italy, home of the Ferrari, Maserati and Bugatti!  If you are nervous driver then initially you may feel slightly fazed.  Despite appearances Italians do have control of their cars, but this is used to get from point A to B as quickly as possible and with full use of the road…..
So be aware and watch for the following:

• They get very close, especially from behind when travelling at speed, will flash lights and expect you to move over, even if there is a queue in front of you! If there is a gap then fill it, if you don’t somebody will!
• It is the driver’s responsibility to avoid pedestrians, so do not be surprised that instead of slowing down they take alternative measure to manoeuvre around them!
• Parking! Italians love their cars and most people have a mid range or mid size car. You will not see many top of the range luxury cars for various financial and fiscal reasons. More Fiat than BMW’s as opposed to Germany where the reverse is clear.  Italians will park anywhere and in cities, parking on the pavements and grassed areas outside buildings is the norm.  So instead of allowing safe pedestrian passage along pavements the government pays a warden to collect a parking fee from those on the sidewalk.
• Autostrade driving is often the most daunting. You may see a Golf GTi driven at dusk by an individual wearing dark glasses come quickly up behind you in the outside lane and keep flashing his lights. Simply move over as quickly as you can, they will undertake given a chance and that pasta his mother cooked is going cold. He or she will invariably move onto the next car and perform the same exercise.  Be very aware as most are two lane highways, not terribly wide and exits can come up very quickly. In addition filtering onto an Autostrade can also be dangerous as filter roads can be short and no-one gives way!
• Many people worry about getting lost and no surprise as all signs are in Italian. If you are at all techy then get a SatNav, these can often be hired through the car hire company. Otherwise get a TomTom type portable device or even and Apple iPhone. Alternatively get a map! A good map is worth its weight in gold. Also allow enough time for a few mistakes. No harm will befall you in Italy, just some bemused locals! If one person drives and the other navigates and they are still speaking at the end of the trip, they could consider a long term relationship!

• a nord: to the north
• a sud: to the south
• a est : to the east
• a ovest : to the west
• a sinistra: to the left:
• a destra: to the right

Numbers

1. uno
2. due
3. tre
4. quattro
5. cinque
6. sei
7. sette
8. otto
9. nove
10. dieci

Other Suggestions:
The A.C.I. (Italian Auto Club) has a nationwide roadside help number with English speaking staff. Call 116 on any phone, for medical emergencies call 113.
In terms of finding fuel, remember that this is not a 24/7 & 24/24 culture Petrol stations are often closed between12:30 & 3:00 P.M and Sundays and sometimes ½ day weekdays. Many of these have self-serve pumps but often they dispense small amounts of fuel and you will need a good supply of EU10 notes.
Check the holiday seasons carefully. August sees mass migration by Europeans to the coast and bank holidays can see parades and local functions with closed roads and long delays.