More alcohol checks, fewer driving violations in Greece
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Greek police conducted significantly more alcohol checks on drivers during the first nine months of 2026 compared to 2025, and, surprisingly, recorded fewer violations.
Police carried out 2,255,692 alcohol tests from January to September 2026, a 92.8% increase from the 1,169,870 tests during the same period in 2025. Despite the greater number of tests, police confirmed 21,151 alcohol-related driving violations in 2026, fewer than the 24,277 violations they recorded in 2025. This represents a 12.9% decrease in violations.
In 2025, police found approximately 2.08 violations for every 100 alcohol tests. In 2026, that rate dropped to 0.94 violations per 100 tests, a decrease of almost 55%. Konstantinos Iaveris, a road safety trainer and vice-regional governor, noted that Greece now has more alcohol check teams, particularly in Athens, Thessaloniki, and on the islands.
He also stated that traffic fatalities have decreased, with around 206 deaths reported in the first half of 2026, compared to 664 in 2024 and 517 in 2025. Iaveris believes this positive trend is due to increased checks, stricter traffic laws, and expanded public transportation options.
