Traffic law

After the ambitious vision of creating a large traffic-free zone in Athens more or less fizzled out at the end of the previous decade, the Athens Municipal Council breathed new life into the project on Monday after approving a proposal for an extended pedestrian network and a drastic reduction of cars in the city center.

A driver involved in a hit-and-run incident last February in Athens' southern suburb of Glyfada was charged with reckless driving under the influence and dangerous manoeuvres that resulted in death - a felony under the updated penal code.

Greece's Traffic Police recorded nearly half a million violations in 2019, with speeding being the top infraction, and while the number of accidents rose, fatalities dipped, data have shown.

The total figure, obtained by BIRN, comprises all the fines announced every day by the authorities, which have imposed more than 200,000 economic sanctions on people for breaking movement restrictions in the last 35 days.

Motorists who had their driving licenses revoked or number plates removed over minor traffic violations up until March 16 will be able to get them back, according to a decision made public on Tuesday by the Citizens' Protection Ministry.

Traffic police targeting so-called antisocial traffic violations issued more than 1,500 tickets for the owners of vehicles found to be blocking access to wheelchair ramps earlier this month, the Hellenic Police (ELAS) said in an announcement on Wednesday.
The crackdown was carried out between March 2-8 in different parts of the country.

As part of a nationwide crackdown on drunk driving and on people using their phones while driving, traffic police said on Tuesday they registered more than 1,250 violations in the period between February 24 and March 1.

Out of 24,849 vehicles checked, police said 561 of the violations concerned phone use and 705 broke the law on driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Transport Ministry is reportedly re-examining the size of fines for specific violations of the highway code and the way they are collected.

Over 8,600 cargo vehicles were checked within the frameworks of the ROADPOL operation held last week in Bulgaria. Over 3,200 drivers were caught for various violations. 50 cargo vehicles were left without their registration plates BNR reported. 

The number of recorded violations by motorists hogging traffic lanes that are reserved for buses in Athens skyrocketed 1,324 percent in January compared to the same month last year thanks to increased policing and surveillance along these routes, the Hellenic Police (ELAS) said on Monday.