ATHENS — Greece was a pleasant surprise in terms of deaths from road accidents as it is one of the five European countries that have reduced the numbers since 2010.

Greece, along with the Baltic states and Portugal, has the best performance in the EU, according to a report on progress made in reducing deaths from road accidents in Europe since 2010, published by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), an active member of which is the Road Safety Institute (IOAS) "Panos Mylonas".

"Greece has made significant progress in reducing road accidents over the last decade. From 2010 deaths in Greece decreased by 44 pct (from 1,258 in 2010 to 699 in 2019) and serious injuries by 63 pct (from 1,709 in 2010 to 636 in 2019).

The modern 2,100 km motorway network, the newest vehicle fleet, the increased exposure to the media and targeted awareness campaigns have contributed to the improvement of road safety," the president of the Road Safety Institute, Vasiliki Danelli-Mylonas, said.