The present system of Traffic Management and Safety in Greece is inadequate as shown by the comparatively very high rate of fatalities and injuries in the nation's roads and freeways.  In 1998, there were 2,226 fatalities and 33,417 injuries, 4,086 of them serious, with probably 20% to 30% dying in the Hospitals which would bring the total death tall between 3,187 and 3,667.  Thus, the number of the seriously injured who die in the Hospitals is excessive.  If this death rate is extrapolated to California, with its population of 33,494,000 in 1998, and a total of only 3,459 fatalities (which includes those dying within the first month of Hospitalization), the number of dead would have been enormous, ranging between 10,517 and 12,101.  This level of death rate would have produced a tremor of 8.0 Richter in the United States.

Characteristically, first hand information from written interviews, obtained by our Task-Force from people who have recent driving experience in Greece, paint a picture of near anarchy in the nation's road network.  A member of the Task-Force, an experienced Highway Patrol Officer with 35 years of service, was for two months an eyewitness of the aggressive driving habits of Greek drivers.  He states unequivocally that the dangerous situations created by bad driving habits and extreme risk taking, are beyond description.  It is obvious that Greece is faced with a monumental Traffic Safety problem, which is much worse from that described in official statistics.  Furthermore, only the improvement of the road network, will not solve the problem, because 80% of the responsibility and blame for vehicular crashes, belongs to the driver.  We believe that drastic measures for improving Traffic Safety should start as soon as possible, for the reduction of deaths and injuries and also as part of the preparations for the Olympics Games.  The present state of Traffic Safety will spell disaster at 2004.

THE TASK-FORCE WILL SPEARHEAD THE FOLLOWING:

1. Strong and effective measures on the issue of Aggressive Drivers, with their main thrust towards meaningful behavioral change and significant reduction of traffic violations.
2. Substantial contribution on ultramodern driver training and education for drivers of all vehicles and especially on the systematic and strict training of motorcyclists.  The mere fact that young motorcyclists can perform vertical driving maneuvers (called souzes) in the middle of the city of Athens, describes in living color the immense Traffic Safety problem in Greece.
3. Fundamental restructuring of the system of licensing and re-licensing for all drivers, with corruption proof methodology, and emphasis on, intensive training for mastering driving skills, obeying the rules of the road and on abolishing the requirement for the engineering aspects of vehicles, which is used by corrupt examiners for intimidating candidates and extracting bribes.
4. Implementation of drastic measures for protecting pedestrians and handicapped people and strong measures for improving troublesome intersections and junctions within and outside the city of Athens, on the basis of the Polytechnic University recent study (TO VIMA-The 50 Guillotine spots in the Attica Road Network).
5. Effective and expeditious handling of the problem of DUI based on the example of the State of California which was faced with a similar problem 25 years ago.  Without systematic work the problem of DUI will get much worse, in the near future.
6. A systematic public affairs campaign for all drivers, towards the development of a "travel plan," prior to long trips, established as a habit for self preservation.
7. Practical solution of the problem of seat belts for drivers, passengers and children.  When some of the motorists exclaim that "only the insane are tied down," it is obvious that the problem is real.  In California we experienced the same resistance about 25 years ago.
8. Systematic and consistent efforts for solving the problem of helmets for motorcyclists and bicycle riders.  Again, in California the problem was identical 20 years ago.  Today, even 4 year old children on three wheel bicycles wear helmets.
9. Development of special programs for drivers who are senior citizens or foreign nationals who are know to have higher accident rates.
10. Special programs for improving Traffic Management and Control by Law enforcement personnel, probably with additional training and retraining of officers at the California Highway Patrol Academy.  Ticketing for Traffic Violations, shall be made absolutely corruption proof.
11. Further simplification and modernization of handbooks for Drivers of Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles and Motorcycles, which should be available at no cost to the public.
12. Comprehensive study and systematic improvement of all dangerous sections of the national and secondary road network, in close cooperation with local experts.  Similar dangerous sections existed in California and most of them have been intelligently modified with excellent results.
13. Systematic study and drastic improvement of the Emergency and the Hospital care of Traffic Accident victims, because today the number of seriously injured who die during Hospitalization is too high.  This is a paramount problem of Health Care.  The Ambulance arrived over one hour late, for the 24 year old woman, graduate of the School of Philosophy, which was described recently in a chilling manner, by the Athens newspaper TO VIMA. Medical Specialists in Trauma Care strongly emphasize the "golden first hour," as being crucial for treating the seriously injured victims of traffic accidents.
14. Development of a powerful and innovative public affairs campaign in close cooperation with the Media and other entities, such as the Church, Professional Societies, High Schools, Universities, the Armed Forces and others.  Public campaigns have been effective in California.
15. The Task-Force will forge a program of cooperation between Greece and the State of California, which has been designated as being number one on issues of Traffic Safety in the US, (with an excellent Highway Patrol Academy to boot), according to a Study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

2-11-2001

*/(Em) Professor of Medicine and Biological Chemistry UC,Davis School of Medicine, Science
Advisor to California Highway Patrol(CHP) Commissioner and President Task-Force on Traffic Safety.
**/An Economist and Executive of Boeing Corporation, Seattle, WA, and Task-Force Project Manager.
***/(Ret) Captain California Highway Patrol, Task-Force Vice-Chairman.
****/Deputy Commissioner(CHP) Former Director Highway Patrol Academy, Task-Force Chairman.

The Task-Force has been organized by the Think-Tank, Demokritos Society of America, a non-profit &501(c)(3) Organization. P.O.Box 2227,Walnut Greek, CA 94595. Donations are Tax Deductible as Charitable Contributions.

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