Article 48

Emergency Vehicles – Road Construction Projects

1. Road users, when alerted by audible or visual warning devices, that an emergency vehicle, a vehicle belonging to the technical inspection service of road operation and maintenance agencies, or a vehicle transporting persons in need of immediate assistance is approaching, are required to make way by moving to the right side of the road to allow that vehicle to pass and, if necessary, to stop.

For the purposes of this regulation, emergency vehicles are defined as those equipped with special additional blue or red lights. Only hospital vehicles, first-aid vehicles, and clinic vehicles, vehicles of the Hellenic Police, the External Guard Service of Detention Facilities, the Municipal Police, as well as vehicles of the military and port authorities.

Only vehicles belonging to the Fire Department, the Forest Service, and the agency responsible for repairing power grid failures, as well as vehicles belonging to water supply and sewerage services.

2. If the warning regarding the movement of emergency vehicles or vehicles transporting persons in need of immediate assistance is given by means of special warning devices and does not pose a danger to other road users, the drivers of such vehicles are not required to comply with Articles 16 through 45 and 47. However, they may not drive against the flow of traffic on one-way streets or fail to comply with signals given by traffic officers.

3. If drivers are traveling on a roadway with more than two (2) traffic lanes in each direction, they are required, if they are using the lane marked with appropriate road markings as an emergency lane, to leave it immediately and move into the adjacent lanes. Drivers in the adjacent lanes are required to yield to vehicles entering the emergency lane. Drivers are prohibited from following emergency vehicles too closely when they are responding to an emergency call.

4. Drivers of emergency vehicles are permitted to use special warning devices only in cases where this is justified by the urgency of their mission.

5. Workers involved in the construction, repair, or maintenance of road sections, and those who operate technical equipment used to carry out such work, are not required—provided they comply with Article 13, regarding the marking of roadwork, and take the necessary safety precautions, are not required to comply with the provisions set forth in the traffic regulations herein.

6. Drivers of vehicles, in order to pass or go around the technical equipment referred to in paragraph 5 when it is being used for roadwork, are not required to comply with Article 21, concerning passing and driving in columns, and Article 22, concerning the passage of oncoming vehicles, provided they take the necessary precautions.

7. Violations of this provision fall under Category E2-A and Category S. These categories also include the violation committed by a person who, in order to gain the right of way, pretends that the vehicle they are driving is an emergency vehicle or is transporting persons in need of immediate assistance.