“In the field of road safety, we have proven that we can change if we want to,” says State Minister Akis Skertos in the mini review he published on social media, focusing on institutional interventions, changing culture and behaviour.

In his lengthy post, the Minister of State presents specific data on road accidents from 2019 to date, attributing the reduction in fatalities to coordinated government policies, institutional initiatives, and changes in drivers’ attitudes, while referring to a national goal that, for the first time is being served consistently and with measurable results.

“What is needed now is consistency and continuity so that we stop mourning the loss of life on our roads and Greece stops being in the worst position in Europe,” the State Minister said.

His post in detail

“Instead of an annual report. Or else, how progress and care for people’s safety are achieved.

Of all the things we’ve taken in 2025, what gives me the greatest hope that we are not “Slowed down” as a people after all, doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again, is the significant change we have recorded in our road behaviour in the current year as a result of policies implemented from 2020 onwards.

Why do I attach more importance to road crash indicators? Because I honestly believe – and I speak from bitter family experience – that they are perhaps one of the most unfair and unjustifiable ways in which someone loses their life, and sadly in many cases at the start of it.

Furthermore, because poor driving behavior is a sign of cultural lagging. It testifies to a lack of respect for ourselves and our fellow human beings who are at risk at any time, through no fault of their own, from our own bad choices and decisions.

And thirdly, because 6.5 years in this job now, I have found that the biggest challenge for any government is changing the culture, and especially the attitudes of those who identify with chronic pathologies we face as a society.

Until 2019, it seemed to me truly inconceivable that the Greek state was unable to set a national goal of reducing traffic fatalities and consistently and effectively implement a coherent strategy to achieve it. However, this objective was set by the Prime Minister, served by the so-called executive state, and now the policy is beginning to bear fruit.

Some evidence is necessary to capture the amount of progress we have collectively achieved.

Unfortunately, 2019 closed with 701 of our fellow citizens killed in fatal traffic accidents. Greece was among the three European countries with the highest rates of loss of life on the roads.

Based on available ELAS data, by November 2025, the number of people who died on the road was 492. Looking forward to December’s data, and based on the recorded annual trend, that means that in 2025, more than 150 families did not mourn deaths on the road this year.

This is a reduction that approaches 25% in absolute terms compared to 2019. If we take into account the significant increase in the tourist population, which is now visiting our country (more than 40 million tourists in 2025) and is partly involved in traffic accidents, it reaches 30%.

How did we achieve this reduction?

By inter-ministerial cooperation, making the problem a major priority of central government concern, better roads, stricter penalties through the new traffic code, strengthening public transport with new routes and modern buses and metro, systematic and consistent checks by the traffic police, use of digital technology, new type of cameras, digital tickets that remove the human factor and the customer relationship that until recently “erased” offences, advertising campaigns with targeted messages.

If any of the above were missing – and obviously by 2019 many of them were missing under a coherent strategy – we would not have been able to convince most of Greek society that this time we mean it, that something has to change.

And indeed, Greece can change. The view that we are hostage to our pathologies is deeply conservative and wrong as a result. But it requires a plan, a focus, and an implementation mechanism. This is the only way we can eradicate any anti-social behaviour that hurts us and makes us angry in our daily lives.

And in the field of road safety, therefore, we have proven that we can change if we want to. What is needed now is consistency and continuity so that we stop mourning the loss of life on our roads, and Greece stops being in the worst position in Europe in this field as well.

Greece is changing. With patience, perseverance, and a plan.

Happy New Year to all.”

See the figures presented by the Minister of State

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