Greece has announced the rollout of an ambitious nationwide smart traffic camera system, in a bid to further enhance road safety and reduce traffic violations in a country notorious for its dangerous drivers and roads.
The plan was unveiled on Thursday morning by key government officials, including the Ministers of Infrastructure and Transport, Citizen Protection, Digital Governance, and the Regional Governor of Attica, said ERT.
Christos Staikouras, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, emphasized the priority of upgrading road safety to reduce accidents and improve the quality of life, saying “The digital management of violations, coupled with the activation of traffic cameras, will build a culture of compliance with road rules.”
He highlighted the broader European vision of zero traffic fatalities by 2050, calling it challenging, but worth striving for. Greece’s moves come on the heels of new road safety and license regulations passed by the European Parliament in the spring of 2024.
Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis described the system as part of a broader strategy of “smart policing.” Acknowledging that human oversight alone cannot address all traffic violations, he noted that technology, including traffic cameras and advanced applications, offers a scalable solution. “This is a crucial step toward reducing the loss of human lives, particularly among the young,” he added.
The first phase of the project will see 388 smart cameras installed at 100 strategic locations in Attica, Greece’s most populous region. The cameras will operate around the clock, even in low-light conditions, focusing initially on detecting red-light violations. According to Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias, this will encourage compliance and prevent dangerous infractions.
Critics of the plan have voiced concerns that the cameras are a violation privacy. In an attempt to address privacy concerns, Hardalias said the system adheres to strict data protection protocols and will only record the rear of vehicles.
Additionally, all violation data will be transmitted via automated processes to a central server that will be managed by the Hellenic Police.
