Ninety-seven out of a hundred drivers believe they drive well. At the same time, eight out of ten admit to exceeding the speed limit, and six out of ten talk on the phone behind the wheel. This contradiction accurately and harshly reflects the situation recorded by the 16th VINCI Autoroutes Foundation Barometer on driving behavior in Europe — a pan-European survey conducted by Ipsos BVA on a sample of 12,100 people in 11 European countries and including detailed data for Greece.
The numbers are stark. In 2024, road deaths in Europe reached almost 19,800 — a decrease of just 3% compared to the previous year. This is an improvement that is not enough: the pace is far from the European targets for a drastic reduction in road deaths, and confirms that progress, where there is, is insufficient. Behind every number is a family, and the picture as a whole does not allow for complacency.
The central finding of the study is the paradox of complacency : 97% of drivers judge their own driving positively, while 64% describe the behavior of other drivers negatively. In practice, almost every driver considers himself above average — a statistical weakness that, in driving, translates into an underestimation of risk. Those who believe they drive perfectly rarely revise their behavior. And the following figures show what this means in practice.
83% of Europeans admit to exceeding the speed limit by even a few kilometers. Among Greeks, the corresponding percentage is lower — 76% — but remains an overwhelming majority. The picture worsens when other parameters are examined: 55% of Europeans and 52% of Greeks do not respect safety distances , while 33% of Europeans and 35% of Greeks overtake on the right on the motorway. More worrying, perhaps, is the issue of seat belts : only 17% of Europeans do not always wear them, but the corresponding percentage among Greeks is 37% , almost double, and constitutes one of the country’s most characteristic deviations from the European average.
Using a mobile phone while driving is now the norm, not the exception. 65% of Europeans and 66% of Greeks talk on the phone while driving, while 24% and 25% respectively send or read messages behind the wheel. At the same time, 78% of Europeans and 70% of Greeks admit to taking their eyes off the road for more than two seconds while driving — a period of time that, at 100 km/h, is equivalent to a distance traveled of approximately 56 meters “blindly”.
But one of the most alarming findings from the survey concerns young drivers aged 16 to 24. This age group is overrepresented in risky behaviors: 39% text or read while driving — compared to 24% of the general population — and 4% drive under the influence of drugs , compared to 2% overall. These figures take on an even more tragic dimension when combined with the fact that people aged 18 to 24 account for 12% of road deaths , while they make up just 7% of the population . A young person is twice as likely to be killed on the road compared to their share of the population.
Aggressive driving is another widespread pathology — and here Greeks appear in particularly high numbers. 89% of Greeks (compared to 82% of Europeans) say they are afraid of the aggressive behavior of other drivers. At the same time, 55% of Greeks admit to swearing at other drivers (Europe: 49%), 52% honking unnecessarily (Europe: 45%), 45% deliberately “hanging” on the back of a vehicle that bothers them (Europe: 28%) and, particularly worryingly, 22% get out of their car to fight (Europe: 17%). This picture describes a driver who is afraid of others but at the same time behaves aggressively, i.e. a vicious cycle of aggression on the road.
Faced with these data, industry representatives are calling for substantial change . Bernadette Moreau , CEO of the VINCI Autoroutes Foundation, stressed that “faced with the tragedies linked to road safety, all drivers must review their behavior behind the wheel”, while Panagiotis Papanikolas , President of Olympia Odos , highlighted the need to renew the commitment to zero fatal accidents and change behavior. Vasiliki Danelli-Mylona , President of the IOAS “Panos Mylonas” , set as the basis for any sustainable improvement education from a young age and the cultivation of a Road Safety culture.
The 97% who believe they drive well and the 83% who exceed the speed limit are not two different groups. They are largely the same people , and this is why road safety remains a problem that is difficult to solve with legislation and cameras alone.
