Greece: Drunk elderly driver travels wrong way on highway

An 83-year-old driver caused significant danger on the Athens-Thessaloniki National Road on Tuesday night after entering the wrong lane near Thermopylae. The driver traveled several kilometers in the opposite direction, moving toward Athens in the lane designated for traffic heading toward Thessaloniki.

Witnesses alerted emergency services after seeing the vehicle approaching head-on. The driver eventually attempted to perform an illegal U-turn on the roadway near the Agia Triada tolls at the 195th kilometer mark. Police from Lamia and the Phthiotis Highway Traffic Department intervened to immobilize the vehicle before a collision could occur.

A breathalyzer test revealed the driver was intoxicated, recording a level of 0.58 mg/l. The individual was arrested and faces charges for dangerous driving and various traffic violations, though they were later released by order of the prosecutor.