Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized that Greece “pays a heavy toll in blood” on the roads, but in recent years “things are beginning to change,” with a steady reduction in traffic accident fatalities. “This is no coincidence; it is the result of planning and many efforts,” he said, referring to improved roads and infrastructure, stricter policing, the use of new traffic monitoring and control technologies, and road safety education programs.

Mr. Mitsotakis highlighted that in the first month of implementing stricter traffic code regulations, road deaths decreased by 34%, expressing the hope that this trend would continue.

According to him, a key factor is changing the mindset: “For decades we used to say ‘just a moment of bad luck.’ That is not true. Traffic accidents are not fate. They can be prevented when personal responsibility is at the wheel: not using the phone, not driving under the influence of alcohol, not running red lights.”

He also stressed the need for targeted policing with the help of technology: cameras with artificial intelligence software and a digital ticketing system that make mass monitoring and automatic violation detection possible.

As the Prime Minister concluded, “Greeks increasingly understand that road safety is not just about laws and fines, but about protecting one another,” expressing hope that the conference would further contribute to this new culture.