A Greece Driving Permit is a driving license issued by the Greek Ministry of Public Order and Citizen Protection to foreign nationals traveling there. Traveling in Greece is not to be taken lightly because their roads can be difficult for drivers that don’t have enough experience.
Probably the most dangerous highways are the one-lane roads connecting big cities and hosting huge tractor-trailers, little automobiles, older automobiles, and smaller motorcycles, all traveling at broad speed ranges. So be cautious while driving in Greece and always have the required documents.
Getting a Greek Driving Permit
If you hail from a non-EU country, and you would need to drive in Greece while on stay there, then make sure to get a legitimate International Driving Permit (IDP) before leaving your country of origin. Having a Greece driving permit will be beneficial if you want to make sure not to pay any fines for not having the required documentation.
Greece has a rule that tourists who are coming from non-EU countries have IDPs on their person whenever they drive. Unfortunately, most car rental companies don’t ask if you have the necessary papers before handing over the keys. They only require visitors to show the official driver’s license issued by their country of origin.
If you were being stopped by police for any reason, you might be punished with a penalty for not having an IDP, and if you have been in a crash, your vehicle insurance coverage might be declared void because you don’t have an IDP.
New Greek transportation rules currently place the onus on both international drivers and car rental companies to ensure compliance with the IDP law. If caught not following, both parties can face steep penalties for violations.
In the USA, these IDPs are provided by the American Automobile Association (AAA). In Australia, Australian Automobile Association (AAA) and in Canada, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) provides these IDPs. In some other nations, authorised motoring clubs and groups are authorised to give these IDPs.
They may be obtained by mail and during a trip to a neighbourhood car association office but should be received before leaving your country of origin. Passport-style pictures are needed for the permit; however, if candidates are not carrying them, the IDP issuing home office can generally take photographs when you arrive. They’ll impose a fee for taking the pictures and issuing the IDP.
Regulations And Rules For Driving In Greece
Before you begin your trip to Greece, it’s important to know some of the rules that you need to follow.
- Get along the left side of the road.
- Seatbelt are needed for all passengers of the automobile.
- Kids under ten are not permitted to travel in the front seat. Kids up to four must be put on child seats.
- Kids whose height is under 4 feet four inches, aged between three and 11 years, have to be provided with a suitable child restraint in their seats.
- It’s unlawful to make use of a cell phone while driving.
- Having over 0.05% alcoholic beverages in your system is unlawful.
- There’s a middle lane on three-lane highways for passing.
- Whenever there’s terrible daytime visibility, dip headlights ought to be utilised.
- In towns as well as on highways, using full-beam headlights is strictly forbidden.
- Traffic coming into a roundabout will be given way by traffic already in the roundabout.
- In Greece, overtaking is not permitted at bottlenecks, intersections, speed bumps, pedestrian crossings, and when there’s not enough visibility.
- In Greece, switching the traffic lanes at junctions is not allowed.
It’s Good To Have It
You could obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) to travel to another nation if you currently possess a driver’s license. Those countries that ratified the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic and many others recognise IDPs.
The Greek driving permit is among the most crucial documents you’ll hold when going to Greece. It’s a document that confirms your right to drive on the highways in Greece, and additionally, it proves your identity.
If you are comfortable driving in Greece, having a driving permit can open up some glorious parts of the country to you, especially if you are on the mainland!
