Online Access To Data On Car Accidents Across The Country

17 Jun 2010

Since 27 May 2010, the Traffic Division of the Greek Police has been publishing daily information on the deadly, serious and minor car accidents across the country in the "Public Data" sections of its website.

These spreadsheet records include comprehensive details on the circumstances surrounding road accidents; these are: date and time, police department or county involved, the road network (urban, national or provincial) in which the accident took place, its specific location, the cause of the accident, the type of the vehicle, the role of the victim of the accident (driver, pedestrian, etc.) as well as the age group they belong to.

The police aim to improve data concerning individual variables, such as the exact location of the accident, e.g. using precise coordinates. Their goal is also to enrich the available open data set in the near future with security and/ or crime data.

In accordance with the principles of open government, transparency, citizens' free access to public information as well as other respective international best practices, the Department of Civil Protection and the Greek Police intend to expand this policy further and to use open public data in areas that concern the citizens' security and safety.

Furthermore, this initiative has a community-service perspective, since it provides researchers, institutions and individuals with data that can facilitate their studies, the conduct of surveys as well as interactive services that will help improve citizens' daily lives.