20 things you need to know if you plan to travel to Greece

If you are planning to travel to Greece this summer, it will certainly be useful for you to find out the changes to the New Greek Traffic Code. We complete the most important provisions with some recommendations that will help you enjoy a successful holiday.

1. SEATBELT - If you miss buckling up your safety belt or for motorcyclists, the helmet, this shall be sanctioned by the police retaining the driving license and the vehicle registration plates and certificate for a period of 60 days.
2. MOBILE PHONE - The use of the mobile phone by the driver on the move without a Bluetooth device or without placing the phone in a special place to activate the loudspeaker shall be sanctioned by the lifting of the driving license as well as of the vehicle registration plates and certificates for a period of 60 days.
3. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL - Driving the vehicle having the alcohol concentration of:

- 0.50-0.80 g / l in the blood or 0.25-0.40 mg / l in the expired air shall be sanctioned with a fine of 200 Euro and immobilisation of the vehicle;- 0,80-1,10 g / l in the blood or 0,40-0,60 mg / l in the expired air shall be sanctioned by a fine of 700 euro, the police retaining the driving license for 90 days and immobilization of the vehicle;- over 1.10 g / l in the blood or over 0.60 mg / l in the expired air is sanctioned with the retaining of the driving license for a period of 180 days, a minimum of two months imprisonment, a fine of 1,200 euro, the retaining of the registration plates for a period of 10 days to 6 months (based on the decision of the competent court) and immobilisation of the vehicle.

4. SPEED LIMIT - Exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km / h will be sanctioned with a fine of 350 euro and the retaining of the driving license for 60 days.

Caution: The allowed speed limit in the Hellenic Republic is: Vehicle typeOutside the localitiesInside the localities Automobile90-130 km / h50 km/h,Autocar80-100 km / h50 km/h,Double-decker70-80 km / h50 km/h,

5. FAILURE OF STOP FOR THE RED COLOR OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS will be sanctioned with a fine of 700 euros and the retaining of the driving license for 60 days.
6. Failure to observe the "stop at the intersection" shall be sanctioned with a fine of EUR 700, the lifting of the driving license on the spot, as well as the vehicle registration plates and the certificate for 20 days.
7. DANGEROUS MANIFESTATION shall be sanctioned by a fine of EUR 700 and the retaining of the driving license for 30 days, as well as of the plates and of the vehicle registration certificate for 10 days.
8. PARKING - illegal parking shall be sanctioned by a fine of 40-150 Euros, as the case may be, and retaining the driving license as well as of the plates and of the vehicle and the registration certificate for 10 days.
9. BLOCKING THE SPEED RAMPERS for disabled persons or parking in places for disabled persons shall be sanctioned by retaining the driving license as well as the plates and the vehicle registration certificate for 60 days.
10. USE OF THE EMERGENCY LANE, irrespective of their duration, this shall be sanctioned by the police retaining the driving license and vehicle's license plate and certificate for 60 days.
11. DISPOSAL of objects or substances that pollute or may cause a fire or accident, including cigarettes, shall be sanctioned by retaining the driving license, as well as of the vehicle registration plates and certificate for 60 days.
12. PAYMENT OF FINES- Payment of one-half of the fine within 10 days was abrogated. The fine is paid within 15 days to the Greek Post Office or to the City Hall where the issuing traffic police department is located.
13. HIGHWAY TAXES - Motorway charges in the Hellenic Republic vary, depending on the length of the section used.
14. RADAR DETECTORS OR ANTI-RADAR EQUIPMENT

Under no circumstances do not use radar detection equipment or any other radar detection systems in Greece! The fact that you have in your car, even in the glove compartment or trunk, such devices expose you to sanctions.The Greek law completely prohibits the use, as well as the simple possession of anti-radar devices, anti-radar detectors and other similar radar detection systems in the car.The possession or use of anti-radar detectors and anti-radar equipment is sanctioned by art. 103 of the Hellenic Road Code with a fine of 2,000 euro, retaining of the driving license for up to 30 days, confiscation of the documents of the car and of the registration plates up to 60 days.

15. Romanian citizens and citizens of the other EU Member States may travel for 6 months in the Hellenic Republic with cars registered in Romania (or in the other Member States) if they are tourists and do not have a legal residence in the Hellenic Republic. Failure to comply with the legal provisions in this respect entails the confiscation of the vehicle and the application of a fine of between EUR 4,000 and 6,000. (Law no. 2960/2001, modified by Law no. 3453/2006). For this purpose, it is recommended to keep any motorways and national road receipts, if it is necessary to prove that at that time the car was not on Greek territory.

At the same time, before proceeding, check whether:

16. PASSPORT and / or ID CARD are valid.
17. You have an EUROPEAN HEALTH CARD or you have signed a health insurance before leaving Romania. Read carefully the information contained in the insurance policy, take with you the insurance company's coordinates and at the same time inform your relatives about the data contained in the insurance policy. If you are undergoing any medical treatment, make sure you have enough medication and prescription prescribed by your doctor. Medicines should be transported in original packaging.
18. TRAVELLING ABROAD WITH MINOR CHILDREN - If you travel to Greece together with a minor, we recommend that you visit the Border Inspectorate General's website to inform about the necessary documents before leaving the country (www.politiadefrontiera.ro).
19. DIFFICULT SITUATIONS - If you are arrested in Greece, you must know that you are entitled to a lawyer and a free of charge translator, as well as that you have the right to contact the consular officer or your family. It is recommended that you decide to inform the consular office.
20. EMERGENCIES - If you are confronted with a special, urgent (accident, victim, death, disaster, or other potentially dangerous or extraordinary) situation, you can contact the General Consulate of Romania in Thessaloniki on the Emergency telephone: +30 6906 479076.

Sources: Digi24 & MAE.ro