Almost half of drivers and passengers in Greece — 46% — do not wear seat belts, while the figure rises to 79% for back-seat passengers, according to a new study by the Road Safety Institute “Panos Mylonas” and the International Automobile Federation (FIA). The research was carried out as part of the program Driving Change: Towards Safe and Sustainable Mobility.
The findings come as road accidents remain the leading cause of death for children and young people aged 5–29, one of the heaviest burdens of premature loss in Greece.
The study was based on observations of more than 16,000 vehicles on Greek roads.
Motorcycle safety is equally concerning: 25% of riders and 54% of passengers fail to wear helmets, even as Greece records the highest rate of motorcyclist fatalities in Europe. Mobile phone use behind the wheel is also widespread, with 13% of drivers observed using their phones while driving.
Vassiliki Danelli-Mylonas, president of the Road Safety Institute, urged authorities, local governments, schools, businesses, and civil society to unite around a coherent national action plan. This, she said, should include stricter enforcement, the use of modern monitoring technologies, and targeted partnerships with municipalities and private actors to strengthen road safety across the country.
