The rollout of Greece’s new Highway Code — backed by sweeping police checks targeting reckless drivers — has coincided with a dramatic decline in traffic accidents, marking the lowest figures in seven years. The updated code introduces unprecedented, for Greek standards, rules governing both pedestrians and drivers, with the message clear: where there’s no reason to break the law, there’s now a fine.

Among the key changes: lifting telecommunications confidentiality to determine whether drivers involved in accidents were using their phones, banning the use of smartwatches, cameras, and even live-streaming on social media while driving. Some rules seem old-fashioned — such as requiring front and rear lights on flocks of sheep — while others are futuristic, including restrictions on driverless cars. Combined with tough police measures and AI-powered traffic cameras, the new code aims to tackle chaos on Greece’s roads and reduce deaths to zero.

Fewer Victims on the Roads

The strict enforcement plan introduced this summer made an immediate impact. Authorities stepped up controls not only in Athens but also on islands and tourist hubs. In rare scenes for Greece, all lanes of Athens’ Poseidonos Avenue were closed at dawn for alcohol checks, while supercar owners were fined for extreme speeding, and dozens of professional drivers were caught without licenses or insurance.

July and August — historically the deadliest months for road accidents — saw unprecedented results. According to THEMA, traffic deaths fell sharply this summer, recording the steepest decline in seven years. Greece, which had been stuck in a grim cycle of 600–650 road deaths annually, is finally seeing progress.

Fatalities nationwide dropped by 25.52% compared with 2024 (from 145 to 108) and by 21.74% compared with 2018. The total of 108 deaths is the lowest in seven years. Similarly, the number of people killed in car crashes fell by 27.22% year-on-year (from 158 to 115) and 21.77% compared with 2018.

Still, 115 lives lost in just two months remains a sobering figure.

Officials at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport attribute the improvement to a 5.26% increase in inspections nationwide compared with 2024, and a 13.48% rise compared with 2018 — the highest inspection levels in seven years. Violation notices also reached a seven-year peak, up 1.88% from last year and nearly 62% compared with 2018.

What the New Highway Code Brings

The new code modernizes traffic rules to address today’s road realities:

• Mobile phone use while driving: Already the third leading cause of accidents in 2024, phone use is now heavily penalized. Authorities may lift confidentiality of communications after an accident to confirm whether a driver was on a call or using social media.
  • Ordinary use: €350 fine + 1-month license suspension.
  • First repeat offence: €1,000 fine + 180-day suspension.
  • Second repeat offence: €2,000 fine + 1-year revocation.
  • If mobile use is linked to an accident, criminal penalties apply: up to 10 years in prison for serious injuries, 10–20 years for a fatal accident, and life imprisonment if multiple deaths occur.
• Other devices: Smartwatches, tablets, and cameras fall under the same rules. Live-streaming while driving is explicitly banned.
• Driver behavior:
  • Drivers must keep both hands on the wheel. For scooters and e-scooters, this rule is strict.
  • Courtesy is mandatory. Insulting or harassing other drivers or pedestrians can lead to fines of €150 and license revocation for 40 days.
  • “Brake checking” — unnecessary sudden braking — is prohibited.
• Speeding: Still the most common violation (338,419 cases in 2024). Repeat offences can now trigger not just heavy fines (€700–€2,000) and license revocations but also prison time if accidents occur. Speeds above 200 km/h and illegal racing carry even harsher penalties.
• Red lights and stop signs: Now subject to criminalization due to their link to hundreds of accidents.
• Autonomous vehicles: Banned from Greek roads except for supervised pilot projects (urban buses, light vehicles ≤3.5 tonnes).
• Motorcyclists: Lane-splitting is allowed only when traffic is stopped, at speeds under 20 km/h, with strict safety requirements.
• Left-lane hogging: Staying unnecessarily in the fast lane is punishable by a €150 fine and a 20-day license suspension.
• Herds and marches: Farmers moving animals on roads must use lights (white in front, red in back). Marches and group movements must also be signposted.
• Pedestrians: Must use crossings where available and avoid obstructing traffic. Fines apply for loitering or deliberately slowing traffic.

By the Numbers (July–August 2025)

• Traffic accidents with fatalities: Down 25.52% vs. 2024; down 21.74% vs. 2018.
• Traffic deaths: Down 27.22% vs. 2024; down 21.77% vs. 2018.
• Biggest reductions: South Aegean (-68.75%), Crete (-60%), Ionian Islands (-57.74%).
• Inspections: Up 5.26% nationwide vs. 2024; up 13.48% vs. 2018.
• Violation notices: Highest in 7 years, up 1.88% vs. 2024 and 61.99% vs. 2018.