Have you noticed an increased police presence on the roads during this summer? Changes to the laws in the Highway Code (KOK) made in early July are being enforced throughout Messinia.

According to local news outlet, Tharros News, the effects have been fairly significant, with their headline yesterday declaring “Traffic Law Violations: Over 180 drivers in Messinia lost their licenses in 1.5 months”.

They provide statistics on the number of violations, broken down into specific categories. No surprises what these are- driving whilst using a mobile phone, driving without a seat belt, driving under the influence of alcohol, exceeding the speed limit, driving through a red light and for moped/motorbike users, not wearing a crash helmet. But the number two offence, according to Tharros, in terms of frequency has a degree of irony about it- driving without a license.  The penalties for these various offences vary- the minimum is a fine but for more serious breaches having your license revoked for a specific amount of time is  part of the punishment.

The article was also keen to stress that changes in the law now make the penalties for repeat offences much harsher.

If your browser can translate, the full article is here.