In Thessaloniki, the tribunal sentenced the 22-year-old driverwho was moving on the nationalist roadworthy Thessaloniki – Edessa astatine speed 162 km/h astatine the allowed bounds 70 km/h.
The young operator was recovered blameworthy misdemeanor tribunal of Thessaloniki in unsafe driving. He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonmenthowever, execution of the condemnation was suspended pending an appeal.
In addition, the tribunal decided to deprive him of his driver’s licence for a play of six months.
Speed more than twice the limit
The 22-year-old operator was detained connected Wednesday evening astatine national roadworthy Thessaloniki – Edessa. According to police, helium was driving astatine a speed 162 km/h alternatively of permitted 70 km/h.
At the aforesaid time, arsenic indicated successful the lawsuit materials, the operator not lone exceeded the speed, but besides committed dangerous maneuversposing a menace to different roadworthy users.
At the trial, the young antheral stated that astatine that infinitesimal helium was returning from work and was driving his father’s car.
Public reaction: suspended sentences are not scary
The story caused a strong absorption successful Greek society, particularly against the backdrop of caller superior accidents and cases of assertive driving. In the comments, users enactment that punishments for such violations successful Greece often look too lenient, particularly when it comes to suspended sentences.
One commentator compared the situation to signifier successful the United States, where, according to him, repeated superior speeding tin pb to an existent situation term. Another noted that adjacent a fewer days of existent stay successful a compartment could person a stronger interaction connected violators than a suspended condemnation and temporary deprivation of rights.
“In Greece there are fatal accidents, then there are years of investigations, adjournments, and astatine the extremity – a suspended sentence. That is, thing really. They’ve conscionable been shuffling papers astir for a fewer years.”
This absorption is understandable: when a operator drives much than twice the speed bounds and astatine the aforesaid clip makes unsafe maneuvers, we are nary longer talking astir “youth” oregon a “mistake,” but astir behaviour that tin effect successful the decease of people.
Editorial comment
Three years’ probation for driving 162 km/h with a bounds of 70 is formally a superior punishment, but successful signifier it is unlikely to frighten anyone much.
The occupation with Greek roads is not conscionable mediocre infrastructure, an aged vehicle fleet oregon insufficient control. The occupation is besides the feeling of impunity. Many drivers know: if there is nary tragedy, then everything will astir apt extremity with a fine, temporary deprivation of rights, trial and suspended sentence.
But unsafe driving doesn’t go immoderate little unsafe conscionable due to the fact that nary 1 died this time. 162 km/h with a permitted speed of 70 km/h – this is not “pressed the state lightly.” This is the deliberate transformation of a nationalist roadworthy into a idiosyncratic contention track. True, for some crushed without information barriers, a aesculapian team and the consent of each different roadworthy users. Little things, of course, for lovers of adrenaline and the transgression code.
A suspended sentence, monetary punishment and deprivation of rights for respective months bash not ever work for those who are accustomed to perceiving the roadworthy arsenic a spot for self-affirmation. For such drivers, punishment should not beryllium symbolic, but tangible. Otherwise, tragedies will beryllium repeated, and aft each caller death, society will again inquire the aforesaid question: why didn’t the state stop the unsafe operator earlier?
Punishment for unsafe driving should not lone hap aft a fatal accident. If a idiosyncratic drives 162 km/h where the speed bounds is 70, helium has already created a situation successful which someone else’s decease has go a substance of chance. And the close to beingness of different radical should not beryllium connected however well the offender took the turn today.
Greek (GR) · 
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