When one in three people killed on the tarmac is a two-wheeler rider, when the seat belt remains “optional” and the mobile has become an extension of the handlebars, then the problem seems to have reached ahead.

Greece is consistently among the EU countries with the highest road accident fatalities. A higher position that is a thorn and everlasting trauma for hundreds of families across the Territory.

In 2024, 665 people died on the road. The new Road Traffic Code, which the government submitted to Parliament on Saturday through Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis, “is set to change the facts with realism and radical interventions clearly aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries on Greek roads and cultivating traffic literacy.”

Recidivism Procedure: The big cut

The most fundamental change brought by the new CCC is the introduction of the concept of recidivism. For the first time, penalties for frequent or repeated offences will not be offset. They will work cumulatively. The logic is simple: a driver who commits an infraction through negligence and someone who persists in systematically breaking the law by endangering human lives of drivers and pedestrians cannot be treated the same with traffic culture and education.

The new penalty framework is scaled and clear. Severity is not punishment, but a tool of prevention. Every violation is recorded, and if repeated, the penalty is significantly increased – not only monetarily, but also administratively: from license revocation to criminal prosecution, depending on severity and consequences.

Cellphone at the wheel kills and will be punishable as a crime

The mobile phone has become one of the most insidious “killers” of modern driving. In Greece, mobile phone use by drivers reaches 9%, three times the European average. And yet, until now, the punishment has been limited to a standard fine and a temporary suspension of driving licence and plates.

This ends. With the new CCC, using a mobile phone now leads to severe penalties:

– Fines of up to 4,000 euros on the 2nd repeat offence.

– License revocation up to 8 years.

– Criminalisation of behaviour if it causes an accident.

A driver who texts while driving is not making an “infraction” – they are putting lives at risk. And now, this is treated accordingly.

Driving under the influence of alcohol

The statistics are overwhelming: one in four fatal crashes in Europe is related to alcohol consumption. This rate plagues our country as well. In Greece, the night and early morning hours of the weekend are the deadliest.

The new CCC provides for severe penalties, both for moderate and high speeding. Fines start at 1,000 euros and go up to 4,000 for repeat offenders, and are accompanied by a license suspension for up to 10 years. In cases of severe drunkenness, mandatory immobilization and guarding of the vehicle is imposed, and criminal prosecution is triggered.

Tolerance of “drunk” driving is now zero. It is not “night-time carelessness”, it is a social danger and alone must be treated as such.

Helmet and belt: Not “suggestions” but conditions of life

Greece has one of the lowest rates of seat belt and helmet compliance in Europe. Only 71% of drivers wear a seat belt, compared to 93.3% in the EU. Among two-wheeled passengers, things are even worse: only 65.5% wear a helmet, while in Europe the corresponding figure is 94%.

While the average age of a motorcyclist is 94% (95%), the average age of a motorcyclist is 94% (95%).
The new code now punishes not only the driver, but also the passenger who does not comply. The fine applies to both, and on the second offence the driver can lose his licence for a entire year. Safety is not a personal matter. It is a public good.

Speed without limits, cost measured in lives

It is no exaggeration to say that speeding remains the most widespread “routine violation of the law” on Greek roads. In 2024, more than 338,000 offences were recorded, a number that reflects the extent of the problem and the inability to prevent it with the tools available so far.

The new CCC provides for a tightening of penalties at multiple levels: from the imposition of a maximum speed limit of 30 km/h in urban centers, to the withdrawal of a licence in cases of recidivism or “racing”. In the most extreme cases – such as driving over 200 km/h – fines of €8,000 and licence withdrawal for four years are foreseen. This is not a vindictive punishment. It is a basic defence against a phenomenon that is killing silently but steadily.

Parking on a handicapped ramp? You’re not just anti-social – you’re dangerous

Illegal parking has emerged as the ultimate nightmare of urban travel. Every year, over 1 million tickets are issued, with 30-35% of them relating to disabled spaces, crossings and corners. It’s not just a matter of legality – it’s a matter of dignity.

The new CCC provides for severe penalties: a fine of up to €2,000 and the withdrawal of a licence for a year in the event of a repeat offence. The message is clear: accessibility is non-negotiable.

The clear message is clear: this is a non-negotiable issue.
When you park on a ramp, you are not just breaking the law. You are obstructing someone else’s life.

Public Transportation priority: The city must move seamlessly

One of the less prominent – but crucial – parts of the new CCC are the regulations concerning the unimpeded movement of public transport, especially within the densely populated urban areas of Athens and Thessaloniki. The new approach sets a clear limit: bus lanes are no longer an “easy solution” for illegal overtaking and parking.

The parking is no longer an easy option for illegal parking and no longer an option for illegal parking.

The new Code tightens the fines for any vehicle that violates this infrastructure, with an emphasis on bus reliability and the functionality of the network. At the same time, an explicit prohibition is introduced on the circulation of even free taxis within these lanes, with the only exceptions being passenger drop-offs, night-time operation and special type vehicles (disabled or zero-emission). Efficient public transport is not a luxury – it is a prerequisite for sustainable cities. And the new MCC explicitly recognizes this.

Technology in the service of prevention

The new CCC invests not only in punishment, but also in deterrence. The use of technology for checking offences, the installation of cameras, interfaces with the traffic police and digital registers come to strengthen the surveillance system. At the same time, institutional upgrading of traffic education is progressing, with the aim of shifting the culture from tolerance to compliance.

Responsibility and life

“The big challenge is not to pass the new Code. It is its social acceptance. Because it is not enough to have rules – they have to be followed. And this is a gamble that involves not only the state and the police, but each individual driver. The new Code does not punish. It prevents. Because every handling behind the wheel has consequences. Because human life cannot be measured in euros, but in prevention, respect and solidarity,” stress officials of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.