Greek police helmet zero‑tolerance campaign logs 2,500+ violations

During the first week of July 2026, the Hellenic Police’s traffic division intensified a nationwide “zero‑tolerance on non‑use of helmets” operation. Across all regions, officers carried out 22 417 inspections, recording 2 273 driver violations and 253 passenger violations – more than 2 500 breaches in total. The highest number of infractions were recorded in Attica (896), followed by the South Aegean (533), the Ionian Islands (297) and Crete (188). In Central Macedonia, 69 violations were logged, including 43 motorcycle riders, 23 electric‑personal‑vehicle users and three passengers. Penalties under the new Road Code (Law 5209/2025) include a €350 fine and a 30‑day licence suspension for riders, a €350 fine for passengers and a €30 fine for electric‑personal‑vehicle operators. The campaign, which also targets dangerous driving behaviours such as speeding and mobile‑phone use, is intended to change attitudes rather than merely collect fines. After one year, officials in Zakynthos reported a 40 % drop in helmet‑related road deaths, attributing the improvement to the intensified checks and public‑information efforts.