A public awareness campaign about a new traffic code due to be enforced June 2 began yesterday in an attempt to warn motorists about tough penalties for violations and to cut the high rate of accidents on Greek roads.

The government is spreading the word via a leaflet explaining the chief provisions of the revised code. The leaflet will be handed out at toll gates as people begin leaving for the Easter holiday next week.

“Every year, over 1,600 people die on our roads while at least 20,000 are injured,” Transport Minister Michalis Liapis said yesterday.

Under the new code, motorists flouting laws face stricter fines and even jail sentences.

Running a red traffic light or a stop sign will carry one of the heaviest fines, –750, and will add nine points to a motorist’s license. Motorists violating level-crossing barriers will also be strictly penalized, with a –700 fine and nine points on their license. Drivers who get 25 points will have their licenses confiscated for good.

Fines for driving under the influence of alcohol will range from –200 to –2,000, or even a six-month jail sentence.

Driving without a seatbelt, or without a helmet in the case of motorcyclists, will carry a –350 fine, and driving while talking on a cell phone will result in a –150 fine. (All fines will be halved if paid within 10 days from being issued.)

“Only when the average citizen assumes his responsibilities and behaves sensibly on the road will we have greater safety,” Liapis said.

In a related development, Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos distributed a circular to regional officials, calling on them to oversee repairs of vandalized road signs so drivers can read them.