The number of fatal road accidents in Greece in 2023 is considerably higher than the European average (68 compared to 51 deaths per million inhabitants), the President of the voluntary association for the prevention of road accidents ( E.S.Y. .PRO.TA) Mr. Yannis Lionakis.

Crete, Rhodes and Attica are the first. Crete seems to be in the five worst regions of Europe this year, as in 2023 it recorded 100 deaths per million inhabitants. Mr. Yannis Lionakis:

Q: Mr. Lionakis, these days we saw an initiative by some gas stations that decided not to put gasoline on motorcyclists who do not wear helmets, an initiative that was supported by the Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis. How do you comment on that?

A: Any initiative from any citizen or place that comes to help reduce traffic collisions in our country is welcome. No one should remain indifferent to traffic death. In this sense, the intention of the station owners, regardless of its legality, is a very interesting message action.

Q: We see you sounding the alarm every day about traffic accidents in Greece, how much have they increased in the last year and where are we in relation to the European average?

A: In our country in the post-covid era where due to traffic restrictions we had a noticeable reduction in traffic accidents, we are slowly returning to the pre-financial crisis times, in the first decade of the 2000s. The average number of traffic accidents in our country in 2023 was 68 dead per million inhabitants at a time when the European average was 51. This shows – and with the increasing trend that exists this year – that we will exceed the 70 deaths per million and that we are heading full speed into a sad retreat.

Q: Which regions of Greece have the most accidents on asphalt?

Q: Chania, Rethymno, Rhodes and Attica are the areas with the most traffic accidents in our country. Crete this year, as things develop, will be in the five worst regions of Europe.

Q: Why do we have so many traffic jams in your hometown in Crete, Mrs. Lionaki?

A: Unfortunately an ill-conceived spell, high drink driving and high speeds on our nation’s worst road network has tragic results. Already our island counts 100 dead per million inhabitants.

Q: What are the main causes of traffic accidents in our country? Excessive speed? Drunkenness? Vehicles that are not maintained? The bad road network?

A: Causing a traffic accident is the result of many factors. However, human driving behavior is mainly responsible for more than 90%. Traffic accidents are a deeply behavioral issue whose reduction must begin in the maternity ward. Human entities are formed between the ages of 2 and 6. We there all we do is the families set a bad example thus being the weak links in the demand for a safe driving behavior in the future with the best training and the best performances and then we have an inability to adopt in the timetable of the education from the Kindergarten still in traffic education. If we want to change the evil that happens to us, we must primarily adopt good family and educational practices.

Q: We are a few days before Christmas and the holiday turnout will be quite large, what should drivers be aware of so that we do not mourn casualties on the tarmac?

A: It always happens during the holiday season that we cover more kilometers. This on the one hand, weather conditions, more alcohol consumption, overeating and being carried away by the festive atmosphere of the days on the other, usually bring bad results. We don’t get complacent in the cities, we don’t run at high speeds, we don’t talk on the mobile phone, we don’t violate the priority of others, we start for our destination half an hour earlier so as not to be pressed by time. We wear seat belts, helmets and strap our children into the correct seat. If we observe these basics, our days will be better in terms of traffic.