0.7% of Drivers Exceed Alcohol Limit As Roadside Checks Double

Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW

The proportion of drivers in Greece found to exceed the legal alcohol limit has fallen to 0.7% in the first eight months of 2026, down from 2.7% last year and 5%-7% in previous years, Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis said.

The figure comes as authorities have nearly doubled roadside alcohol checks, carrying out 1.7 million tests nationwide, compared with 860,000 during the same period in 2025.

Speaking at a New Democracy youth organisation (ONNED) political event in Thessaloniki on Thursday, Chrysochoidis said the intensified traffic controls had already produced measurable results in road safety.

At the event, titled “Thessaloniki on the Move: A City with Safe and Modern Transport”, the minister highlighted the sharp decline in the proportion of drivers found above the legal alcohol limit.

In previous years, between 5% and 7% of drivers tested exceeded the permitted alcohol level. That figure fell to 2.7% last year and has dropped further to 0.7% during the first eight months of 2026.

“This is a victory,” Chrysochoidis said, describing the figures as the result of a policy that “produces results and saves lives.”

Fewer road deaths and serious injuries

Chrysochoidis also pointed to an improvement in the overall road safety picture.

According to figures he cited, the previous year recorded 142 fewer road fatalities, 80 fewer seriously injured peopleand more than 200 fewer cases of minor injuries compared with the period against which he made the comparison.

The minister stressed the importance of maintaining intensive traffic police checks, alongside the implementation of Greece’s new Highway Code.

He said the government’s road safety policy combines operational enforcement with changes to the legislative framework.

“The value of politics is making decisions”

Turning to Thessaloniki, Chrysochoidis highlighted the operation of the city’s metro and its extension towards Kalamaria, linking the completion of major infrastructure projects to the need for political decision-making.

He recalled his earlier tenure as Infrastructure Minister, referring to the lengthy delays in constructing the Thessaloniki metro and, in particular, the challenges surrounding the Venizelou station.

“The value of politics is making decisions. You have to make a decision, and secondly, your decisions must serve the interests of citizens,” he said.

Chrysochoidis argued that the New Democracy government delivered the first phase of the metro to Thessaloniki residents, while the Kalamaria extension is now also in operation.

He also referred to the traffic management plan implemented during construction of the Flyover, arguing that Thessaloniki has continued to move forward and that traffic conditions have improved significantly.

Chrysochoidis addresses killing of Vayia Nestora

The minister also referred to the killing of Vayia Nestora in Thessaloniki and the injury of Afroditi Nestora.

Chrysochoidis expressed his condolences to the family and said authorities had already remanded suspects in custody over the case. He added that police would arrest those linked to the other attacks and bring them before the courts.

“Democracy does not take revenge, but at the same time it delivers justice,” he said.

He also argued that authorities have made significant progress on security in Thessaloniki, with operational police measures contributing to lower crime and a stronger sense of security among residents.

Police presence on the metro

Chrysochoidis also highlighted security measures across Thessaloniki’s metro system, saying police officers patrol stations and trains every day to prevent criminal behaviour and strengthen passengers’ sense of security.

“Security is the major public good today. It is the great demand and also the very important constitutional right,” he said.

The minister concluded by portraying Thessaloniki as a city moving forward in terms of security, transport, economic development, infrastructure and culture.

He also made a political prediction, saying he expected the next elections to deliver what he described as a “crushing response and victory” for Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and New Democracy.

New Democracy MPs and party officials attended the ONNED event in Thessaloniki.

Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.