Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ATHENS164
2010-02-04 15:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Athens
Cable title:
Greece - Demarche on Distracted Driving
how-toVZCZCXYZ0020 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHTH #0164 0351530 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 041526Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1479 INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS
UNCLAS ATHENS 000164
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/S NANCY CARTER-FOSTER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SOCI UNDP UNGA GR
SUBJECT: Greece - Demarche on Distracted Driving
REF: STATE 6703
UNCLAS ATHENS 000164
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/S NANCY CARTER-FOSTER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SOCI UNDP UNGA GR
SUBJECT: Greece - Demarche on Distracted Driving
REF: STATE 6703
1. (SBU) EconOff delivered reftel demarche on distracted driving to
Nicolaos Hatzivasdekis, Director of Road Safety and Environment in
the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transportation, and Networks on
February 3. Hatzivasdekis stressed that the Government of Greece
takes this issue very seriously, but noted they will not be sending
anyone to the March UNRSC meeting in New York because of current
government financial restrictions.
2. (U) Article 13 of Traffic Code 2696/1999, as amended by
3542/2007 and 3710/2008, forbids the use of mobile phones, music
headphones, and televisions while operating a vehicle, unless the
mobile phone is on speaker-phone or used with a hands-free device.
When operating a motorcycle, however, all mobile phone use is
forbidden, even with a hands-free device. In the first six months
of 2009, there were 33,890 violations reported. The maximum
penalty is 100 Euro and a 30-day driver's license suspension. In
all of 2009, there were 1,314 automobile and motorcycle fatalities,
223 (17 percent) of which reportedly involved use of a mobile
phone. Hatzivasdekis acknowledged that overall traffic education
in Greece is limited, but NGOs, the National Road, and the Greek
police do occasionally run awareness campaigns regarding mobile
phone use while driving. Hatzivasdekis estimated that mobile phone
penetration in Greece is more than 70 percent, and approximately 10
percent of drivers use mobile phones while operating a vehicle.
Speckhard
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/S NANCY CARTER-FOSTER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SOCI UNDP UNGA GR
SUBJECT: Greece - Demarche on Distracted Driving
REF: STATE 6703
1. (SBU) EconOff delivered reftel demarche on distracted driving to
Nicolaos Hatzivasdekis, Director of Road Safety and Environment in
the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transportation, and Networks on
February 3. Hatzivasdekis stressed that the Government of Greece
takes this issue very seriously, but noted they will not be sending
anyone to the March UNRSC meeting in New York because of current
government financial restrictions.
2. (U) Article 13 of Traffic Code 2696/1999, as amended by
3542/2007 and 3710/2008, forbids the use of mobile phones, music
headphones, and televisions while operating a vehicle, unless the
mobile phone is on speaker-phone or used with a hands-free device.
When operating a motorcycle, however, all mobile phone use is
forbidden, even with a hands-free device. In the first six months
of 2009, there were 33,890 violations reported. The maximum
penalty is 100 Euro and a 30-day driver's license suspension. In
all of 2009, there were 1,314 automobile and motorcycle fatalities,
223 (17 percent) of which reportedly involved use of a mobile
phone. Hatzivasdekis acknowledged that overall traffic education
in Greece is limited, but NGOs, the National Road, and the Greek
police do occasionally run awareness campaigns regarding mobile
phone use while driving. Hatzivasdekis estimated that mobile phone
penetration in Greece is more than 70 percent, and approximately 10
percent of drivers use mobile phones while operating a vehicle.
Speckhard