- 46 drunk drivers: Caught right over the peak Dekapentavgoustos holiday weekend, which surprises precisely no one who has seen the traffic leaving a local panigyri at 4 AM.
- 104 speed & overtaking violations: Combining 72 for speeding, 21 for illegal overtaking, and 14 for driving in the oncoming lane—essentially business as usual on the VOAK.
- 52 bare heads & unbuckled drivers: 32 riders without helmets and 20 without seatbelts, despite the mid-August heat and police presence.
- 26 unlicensed drivers: Over two dozen people operating vehicles without a license.
- 1,153 “other” fines: Over 78% of the total infractions fell into the catch-all “other” category—parking, paperwork, or minor mechanical issues.
Earlier this week, we warned you that the Hellenic Traffic Police were deploying maximum resources across the island for the mid-August exodus. We told you the checkpoints were real, the tolerance was zero, and the focus was on the deadly violations.
Well, the results are in, and the sheer volume of rule-breaking is nothing short of breathtaking.
Over a single 72-hour period, police checked 3,889 vehicles. They didn’t just find a few minor infractions; they recorded 1,469 violations. Roughly 38% of the vehicles pulled over were breaking the law. You literally had a better chance of rolling a legal, compliant vehicle than an illegal one if you got stopped.
The “Greatest Hits” of Terrible Decisions
The breakdown of these 1,469 violations reads like a masterclass in how not to operate a motor vehicle. The most alarming figures include:
- 46 drunk drivers: Nearly 50 people decided that a few drinks at the taverna were a perfectly fine prelude to getting behind the wheel.
- 26 unlicensed drivers: This is not a typo. Twenty-six individuals were caught operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license. They were driving completely unqualified, uninsured, and illegally.
- 72 speeders: People treating the newly expanded, smooth sections of the VOAK like a private racetrack.
- 21 illegal overtakes & 14 wrong-way drivers: The classic, deadly Cretan provincial road hazards, on full display during a holiday weekend.
- 32 no helmet & 20 no seatbelt: A shocking disregard for basic, life-saving equipment, even for passengers in the back seat
Beyond the life-threatening choices, the police also logged a mountain of administrative and safety failures: 44 illegal maneuvers, 19 vehicles with expired or failed MOT (KTEO) certificates, 8 red-light runners, 6 people using mobile phones while driving, and 2 vehicles rolling on completely worn-out tires. The remaining 1,153 “other” violations likely cover everything from illegal parking to missing documentation.
