628,650 road rule violations marred 2004
The number of road deaths was down by 24.6 percent in 2004 compared to 2000, while the overall number of victims fell by 34.4 percent. According to data released earlier this week by Public Order Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis, the results of the five-year road safety program «Kath’ Odon 2001-2005» (On the Road 2001-2005), have proved the program was extremely successful, as the aim set in 2000, when the program was launched, was to reduce the number of fatalities by 20 percent. Fewer fatalities According to the same data, the number of fatalities in 2004 was 4.1 percent less than in 2003. This means there were 66 fewer deaths and 788 fewer injuries in the year, proving that increased policing and more frequent roadblocks have played a vital role in reducing the number of traffic accidents. A total of 628,650 traffic code violations were recorded in 2004, and the majority of accidents were attributed to the driver paying undue attention (2,670 cases), violations of the right-of-way (2,592 cases), crossing into the opposite-side traffic lane (1,310 cases) and speeding (1,289 cases). As far as the traffic code violations are concerned, the data showed that 33,780 drivers were cited for running red lights, 39,500 for dangerous overtaking, 32,716 for driving in the wrong direction, 148,878 for not wearing seat belts and 40,986 for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol. The goal for 2005 is to reduce road deaths by another 5 percent. According to sources, after the On the Road 2001-2005 program expires at the end of this year, authorities are planning to set up a joint General Secretariat between the ministries of Public Order and Transport, which will be responsible for coordinating all national road safety efforts. On Monday, Voulgarakis inaugurated the first two of the 12 Highway Patrol departments, at Tempe and Thermopylae. He stressed that these departments will be in charge of heightening surveillance on these two problematic sections of the national road network in order to reduce the number of traffic accidents that occur there and to ensure safe passage for drivers. At the same time, we can expect two more departments shortly at Kiato and Aegion, while another eight will be operational by 2007 – two of which will be located at the Attica exits of the Athens-Lamia Highway and the Athens-Corinth Highway. Each department is manned by an average of 60 Highway Patrol Officers and, according to Greek Police chief Giorgos Angelakos, all personnel have received specialized training on road safety and will attend refresher courses on a regular basis.
