Road Safety Advice

• Check your car’s working condition (oil, brakes, radiator fluid, windscreen wipers, etc.), and pay particular attention to your tyres (tread quality and pressure as specified by the manufacturer).
• Make sure you have a safety triangle, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, and reflective vests, which are necessary in case you have to exit the vehicle for any reason.
• Learn about the route you will be following.
• Make sure you are well-rested, especially if you are going to be travelling long distances.
• Never imbibe alcohol before driving.

• When inside your car, you must always wear seatbelts in the front and back seats, even when travelling a short distance.
• Make sure that children under 12 are sitting in seats that are suitable for their age and are always wearing seatbelts.
• When riding a motorcycle, always wear a helmet, whether you are the driver or the passenger.
• Observe the speed limits as posted.
• Always drive on the right hand side lane and use the left lane only to overtake.
• Maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead of you.
• In case of backed up traffic, use your hazard lights to warn vehicles coming up behind you.
• Make sure that any loads you are carrying are well secured and fall within the weight, height, and width limits allowed.
• Avoid using your mobile telephone while driving. If there is an urgent need to use your telephone, use a Bluetooth hands free device or a speaker phone (car kit) if your car is equipped with one. However, remember that there is a risk even when using these devices.
• Avoid being in other cars’ blind spots while travelling at the same speed as the car ahead of you. There is a risk that in such a case the other driver may change lanes after only checking their mirror, resulting in a collision.
• Use your indicators both before turning and before changing lanes. Indicators provide a warning, they do not create an obligation.
• Adjust your seat so that your wrists rest on the steering wheel when you stretch out your forearms. Adjust your seat headrest so that it covers the back of your head.
• While driving at night, do not focus on the headlights of oncoming cars and do not use your high beams when there is oncoming traffic.
• When you feel sleepy, stop driving. Stop at the nearest safe area (parking area or Motorist Serve Station), park, splash some water on your face, and, ideally, rest for a few minutes.

What do you need to be careful of when driving on snow-covered roads?

• Turn on your car’s fog lights. This will improve your visibility and your vehicle will become more visible to other drivers.
• Reduce speed and significantly increase the distance you normally keep from preceding vehicles. Don’t forget that driving on snow means less grip.
• Don’t apply the brakes, accelerate, or turn suddenly. Drive calmly and carefully.
• If you need to reduce speed, avoid braking suddenly and try to gradually downshift (from 4th gear to 3rd gear to 2nd gear).
• If your car starts skidding, release the accelerator and the brake pedal, and shift into neutral.
• If we are having trouble with the front wheels, try not to turn the steering wheel until your car has slowed down and regained its grip on the road.
• If you are having trouble with the rear wheels, turn the steering wheel gently in the direction in which you want to head.
• Do not attempt to overtake on frozen or snow-covered roads, unless the car ahead of you has come to a complete stop.

• The chains are placed on the drive wheels.
• Your speed should not exceed 30 km/h.
• The chains are properly placed when they look and are taught.

• Always switch on your low beams before entering a tunnel.
• Keep a safe distance from the preceding vehicle, at least 50 m.
• Avoid needless lane changes.
• Never drive in reverse or stop inside the tunnel, unless there is an emergency.
• If there is congestion inside the tunnel:
• Switch on your hazard lights and maintain a 5 m minimum distance from the preceding vehicle. If traffic comes to a halt and your vehicle stops, switch off the motor, close the windows, and make sure you don’t smoke inside the vehicle.
• If traffic comes to a halt and your vehicle stops, switch off the motor, close the windows, and make sure you don’t smoke inside the vehicle.
• Never perform a u-turn inside the tunnel.
• Carefully follow the messages on illuminated signs or the instructions of competent parties.

If your car is in an accident or breaks down inside the tunnel:

• Switch on your hazard lights and try to move your car to the right hand side edge of the tunnel.
• In any case, switch off the motor.
• Exit the vehicle, leaving the keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked.
• Stand in a safe spot on the pavement or in the emergency parking areas.

If a vehicle inside the tunnel catches fire:

• If possible, drive the vehicle out of the tunnel. If not, try to drive it to the right hand side edge, turn of the motor, and leave the vehicle with the keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked.
• If you know how, use the fire extinguishers located inside the tunnel to put out the fire.
• Move to the nearest emergency exit by following the signs.

Inside the tunnels, drivers will find:

• Emergency telephones every 150 m. on the right hand side of the tunnel.
• Fire extinguishers every 50 m. on the right hand side of the tunnel.
• Emergency exits every 300 m.

REMEMBER: In case of emergency, immediately inform the Traffic Management Centres by using one of the emergency telephones or by calling 1075 on our mobile telephone

According to Decision No 966/2 – Government Gazette Series II/No 5266/30-11-2020 of the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT), we inform drivers that calling 1075 is subject to the tariff policy of each mobile and landline telephony provider. For more information, please visit your provider’s website and the Prices, Telecommunications, and Retail Postal Products observatory of EETT by clicking on the following link: http://www.eett.gr/opencms/opencms/EETT/EETT/ESPA/espa_paratiritirio/index.html

• Check your mirrors often and make sure you use your car’s indicators when changing direction or stopping. Switch on your low beams during the day, so that all drivers can see you in low visibility conditions.
• Avoid fast and sudden movements with the steering wheel, as it may cause understeering or oversteering.
• Avoid following large cars, lorries, buses, etc., as the water coming off their tyres reduces your visibility.

By paying attention to all of the above you will avoid unpleasant situations, such as aquaplaning or hydroplaning. This is when your car loses contact with the road pavement, as a layer of water is interjected between the car tyre and the road pavement. This is most likely to happen when moving at high speeds, while the feeling you get from it is that the car steering wheel won’t respond to our commands and the rear of the car is “floating”. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, try to keep the car moving straight ahead, avoid turning your steering wheel, and gradually reduce speed without pressing down on the brake pedal or accelerator suddenly.

• Always switch on your low beams before entering the tunnel.
• Keep a safe distance from the preceding vehicle, at least 50 m.
• Avoid needless lane changes.
• Never drive in reverse or stop inside the tunnel, unless there is an emergency.
• If there is congestion inside the tunnel:
  • Switch on your hazard lights and maintain a 5 m minimum distance from the preceding vehicle.
  • If traffic comes to a halt and your vehicle stops, switch off the motor, close the windows, and make sure you don’t smoke inside the vehicle.
  • Never perform a u-turn inside the tunnel.
  • Carefully follow the messages on illuminated signs or the instructions of competent parties.

If your car is in an accident or breaks down inside the tunnel:

• Switch on your hazard lights and try to move your car to the right hand side edge of the tunnel.
• In any case, switch off the motor.
• Exit the vehicle, leaving the keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked.
• Stand in a safe spot on the pavement or in the emergency parking areas.

If a vehicle inside the tunnel catches fire:

• If possible, drive the vehicle out of the tunnel. If not, try to drive it to the right hand side edge, turn of the motor, and leave the vehicle with the keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked.
• If you know how, use the fire extinguishers located inside the tunnel to put out the fire.
• Move to the nearest emergency exit by following the signs. Inside the tunnels, drivers will find:
  • Emergency telephones every 150 m. on the right hand side of the tunnel.
  • Fire extinguishers every 50 m. on the right hand side of the tunnel.
  • Emergency exits every 300 m. REMEMBER: In case of emergency, immediately inform the Traffic Management Centres by using one of the emergency telephones or by calling 1075 on your mobile telephone. According to Decision No 966/2 – Government Gazette Series II/No 5266/30-11-2020 of the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT), we inform drivers that calling 1075 is subject to the tariff policy of each mobile and landline telephony provider. For more information, please visit your provider’s website and the Prices, Telecommunications, and Retail Postal Products observatory of EETT by clicking on the following link: http://www.pricescope.gr/web/guest/home