by Thanos Pappas
- Just a few dozen cameras caught 10,000 red-light runs in Greece.
- Drivers won’t be fined until enforcement begins in mid-January.
- Greece plans to install over 2,000 AI units by end of this year.
Running a red light isn’t just another traffic violation, it’s a serious offense that puts lives at risk and strains public safety efforts. Yet in Greece, it seems many drivers aren’t exactly stopping for red. In just one month, a handful of new high-resolution traffic cameras recorded an eye-widening 10,000 violations.
The alarming data shared by Greece’s Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, during an interview with local broadcaster SKAI.
More: Dallas Has Hundreds Of AI Traffic Cameras, And Now Everyone’s Watching
Authorities in the Attica region plan to install 388 cameras at 100 locations, all focused on catching red-light runners. The early numbers, though, come from only a few dozen of these new cameras, raising real concern about what the full network might uncover once fully operational.
Despite the clear danger of these violations, drivers won’t face penalties just yet. The system is still in its pilot phase, so no fines are being issued at this stage. That will change by mid-January, when enforcement begins in earnest.
Penalties for running a red light in Greece are steep: €700 (about $820 at current exchange rates) and a 60-day license suspension for a first offense, €1,000 ($1,180) and 180 days for a second, and €2,000 ($2,340) along with a full year off the road for a third. Keep in mind, the average monthly salary in Greece is around €1,200 ($1,400), which makes these fines especially punitive.
AI Eyes on the Streets
Ministry of Digital Governance
The red-light cameras are just one part of a larger tech rollout. The Ministry of Digital Governance is also deploying AI-powered systems capable of spotting a wider range of infractions. These cameras monitor for seatbelt use, distracted driving, speeding, and improper lane usage, among other things.
Right now, eight of these AI units are up and running in Athens, recording 2,500 violations in just four days of use. One particularly active spot, at Syngrou Avenue, saw a single camera log over 1,000 offenses during that short window.
More: AI Traffic Cameras Caught 10K Distracted Drivers And They’re Just Getting Started
According to the Greek minister, the sophisticated AI camera network will expand to over 2,000 units by the end of 2026. The goal, he says, is to change the driving behavior of Greeks, reduce road accidents and fatalities, while easing pressure on police resources.
Whether the implementation of the AI cameras will move forward as planned is another question, as our sources indicate there are ongoing legal concerns related to EU privacy regulations.
Automated Fines, Direct to Your Phone
These cameras don’t just record violations. They snap time-stamped photos showing the driver at the wheel and the vehicle’s license plate. In the near future, offenders will receive alerts directly to their phones, complete with a QR-style code for paying the fine.
More: Google To Help Athens Solve Traffic Congestion By Controlling Its Smart Lights
Offenders will still be able to contest the charges, but the photographic evidence is usually hard to dispute. Perhaps more significantly, the days of having a fine “disappear” thanks to a well-placed phone call are coming to an end. The system is designed to be impartial and automated.
Greece is far from alone in this. AI-powered traffic enforcement is already in use across the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Australia, India, China, Japan, much of the Middle East, and the United States.