On Tuesday it was announced by the Greek press that quads, also known as ATV’s, will now be overseen and monitored by local authorities. The announcement, made the Transport Ministry, means that each municipality will now be responsible for use of quads in their area.
The issue of quads has been a contentious one for many years now, due to the number of accidents and deaths of users, that have occurred across Greece. The vehicles are very popular with tourists especially in holiday resorts, most notably islands such as Zakynthos.
The Transport Ministry have made the decision as they think that every island/area will be able to better assess any risks involved and implement any necessary regulations for the safety of vehicle use. The Transport Ministry will submit the request required to transfer quad responsibility to local authorities, to Parliament this week. Legislation for changes to driving tests will also be submitted at the same time.
Many of Greece’s quads are thought to be mainly on Crete, Kos, Rhodes and Zakynthos, totalling around 25,000 vehicles. They are extremely popular with tourists who find that quads are a fun way of getting around so that they can visit popular sites or explore further afield. We wait to see whether this new move is accepted by Parliament and if so, when it will be implemented.