Greece’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has issued clarifications regarding the mandatory use of anti-skid chains and similar means in vehicles. According to the ministry decision, motorists should have anti-skid chains in their vehicle from October to April every year, when they are driving on national or regional roads.
The period of using anti-skid chains and similar means in citizens’ vehicles starts from October and following the decision of the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, in charge of Transport, Michalis Papadopoulos, drivers must be equipped accordingly.
Owners of cars of all categories are required to equip their vehicles with anti-skid chains, or other similar anti-skid means, such as snow-blankets and snow tires (bearing the special marking of the “alpine” symbol with the indication M+S).
However, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, drivers should reportedly have them compulsorily in their vehicles, only if relevant decisions are issued by the competent authorities, when the weather conditions require for them.
That is, motorists should have anti-skid chains or snow blankets when the Police Directorates, Traffic Directorates or the General Secretariat of Civil Protection issue a notice according to article 52 of the Road Traffic Code.
When the weather is good or the conditions do not require it in general and since no relevant decisions have been issued by the above competent authorities, drivers do not have the obligation to bring anti-skid in their vehicles.
In any case, however, they must know how to place and operate these means, in order to ensure their correct use.
For the case of rented vehicles, if the person who rents the car (lessee) requests anti-skid chains in his contract, the lessor company is obliged to provide the appropriate equipment. Otherwise, and as long as it is not requested, this obligation does not exist.
A fine of 80 euros will be imposed if motorists are found without anti-skid means when relevant adverse weather conditions have been issued.
PS In the sense of this law, fines should also be imposed to municipalities, regional governments and the civil protection if adverse weather warnings have been issued but none of them cares to keep streets and roads open and clean gutters.
Otherwise one might think fines are only for the citizens but never for those in charge.
the fine is 80€ not 800 (but it could be possible)
sorry for typo
Well, that’s all very ambiguous — still none the wiser. Do we need them or not?
Really looking forward to buying something I will never use
especially relevant in the south where it snows maybe once every couple of years. but hey, one size fits all (naturally excepting politicians and officials) when we can slap a fine on somebody!
I’ve been driving for just under 60 years, mainly in weather conditions much worse than Greece, and I have never owned or used snow chains. If people learned to drive properly they wouldn’t need them either. If somebody gets stuck without them and has to be rescued then by all means fine them but let the rest of us get on with our lives.
Another stealth tax ??? More fines ??? How about “clamping” dawn on mobile ‘phone use, probably the biggest cause of accidents. Can you see the average driver fitting this gear before they go to work…Ha Ha Ha !!
Wonder how long it will be before we get fined for breathing…..Idiots.
Also,driving with chains on is different, speed, handling, turning. They don’t stop you from skidding anywhere, so that misconception about them needs to be cleared up straight away, they help prevent skidding yes!! But stop it no definitely not.
Pointless exercise to extract yet more cash from an already struggling population, snow chains very quickly wreck your tyres which will add yet more costs. Just drive as the conditions require or if it is so bad, don’t drive at all and all will be well…..best first concentrate on those that drive with a mobile phone in one hand and a coffee in the other, as no amount of chains would save them!