A 33-year-old driver was caught speeding at 198 km/h on the Athens–Lamia highway late Thursday night, August 21, according to local reports. The vehicle, a Mercedes ML 350, was detected by traffic police radar traveling at almost twice the legal limit.
Police officers, including the head of the motorway traffic division in Boeotia, moved swiftly to stop the car. For safety reasons, the vehicle was pulled over at the Thiva toll station, where the driver was arrested on the spot.
Heavy penalties under new traffic code
Under Greece’s recently toughened traffic code, the driver was fined €700 and had his license revoked. The law stipulates that exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h results in a €700 fine and a 60-day license suspension.
Repeat offenses carry even harsher consequences:
- First repeat offense: €1,000 fine and a 6-month suspension.
- Second repeat offense: €2,000 fine and license removal for one year.
Drivers caught traveling above 200 km/h or engaging in illegal street racing face the maximum penalty of a €2,000 fine and losing their license for one year. Further violations can result in fines up to €8,000 and license suspension for four years.
