Amendment will prohibit gas stations from selling gas to motorcyclists without helmets

23:13 23/1/2025 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

Gas station attendants will be prohibited from selling gas to motorcyclists who do not wear helmets, according to a regulation being tabled in the Greek Parliament on Thursday.

The proposal was first made by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis on December 16, Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos

told a relevant committee, adding that the federation of gas station owners agreed. The relevant amendment has been drawn up by the Development ministry and will be appended to the new Traffic Code to be tabled in Parliament soon by the Transport Ministry.

"There is nothing more important than human life and health, than protecting young people. Because most people driving are mainly young men at an age where they feel invincible. We must do everything we can to save human lives, that is why we responded immediately," Theodorikakos told the committee.

The initiative was prompted by the death of a young motorcycle rider on Crete and an announcement by a gas station owner there that he will refuse service to motorcyclists without a helmet.

In addition, the Health Ministry said a few weeks ago it would work with the Development Ministry and the Federation of Gas Station Owners on a campaign of "No gas, if you don't wear a helmet," to refuse selling gas to motorcyclists not wearing a helmet.

Addressing the committee in Parliament were also doctors of KAT accident hospital and the emergency ambulance service EKAV. KAT governor Yiannis Iliopoulos in particular said the hospital handled 87,000 emergency cases annually, of which the average number of traffic accident victims totals 3,200. Of the latter, 7%-10% have serious multiple injuries, and of these 60% has to be hospitalized at intensive care units, then spend nearly 5.5 months in rehabilitation.

Intensive-care physician Spyros Papanikolaou who serves on the EKAV board noted that the service receives 1,000-1,100 calls per day, of which 250-300 relate to traffic accidents. Of the latter, 5% involve serious injuries (particularly in the head), and if they survive, over 70% have an 80% loss of function. He also underlined the problematic and widespread lack of helmets by motorcycle drivers on Greek islands, stating that "driving without a helmet is suicidal."

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