At least three people lost their lives in road accidents across Greece this past week, prompting authorities to intensify traffic checks nationwide, particularly ahead of the Easter holiday period.
Greek Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis said on Thursday that police forces would be on high alert to safeguard public safety, following a series of serious accidents.
One of the most tragic occurred on Tuesday, when a truck driver rammed into two cars at Polymilou toll station on the Egnatia Odos motorway in north-western Greece killing two people and injuring four.
Earlier on Thursday, in central Athens, an ambulance transporting a patient collided under unclear circumstances with a private car before crashing into a street light, injuring at least two pedestrians.
Additionally, a 20-year-old woman died after the vehicle she was traveling in with her parents veered off the road near the coastal city of Volos.
In light of these incidents, Chrisochoidis revealed alarming statistics: in the first three months of 2025, road violations surged by 72.44%, reaching 376,452, compared to 218,313 in the same period in 2024.
Equally concerning is the rise in arrests in the first quarter of the year. A total of 5,189 drivers were detained and face legal proceedings, a sharp increase from 1,797 in Q1 2024.
The Attica region recorded the most dramatic rise, with a 1,000% increase in arrests up from 145 in 2024 to 1,451 in 2025.
“We must not mourn more victims on our roads,” Chrisochoidis said, adding that police inspections have been stepped up as part of a nationwide road safety drive leading into the Easter weekend.
