What is innovative about the overpass?
One of the main problems with an overpass is its height. When built over a busy avenue like Kifissias, it has to be high to allow the cars to pass underneath it. The overpass must be over five metres high, i.e. we are talking about a height of over two floors. When we started designing the overpass and when we looked at the other overpasses on the avenue, we asked ourselves whether a child would climb up and go down three floors without being swept away by the idea of crossing the avenue quickly. We focused all our efforts on making the overpass attractive to those who will use it. Changes in the neighborhood were made for this purpose. The street that starts from the exit of the school has been made a one-way road and we were able to turn the other part of the street into a sidewalk. Thus, the children reach the overpass only by walking on it. There a platform waits for them to take them up gradually. We also had the opportunity to install luxury facilities such as escalators, but only moving up. There are elevators for people who cannot use either the ramp or the escalators. And now, I could say that I am glad when I see the children using the overpass in the morning and in the evening.
How long was this overpass necessary while the state did nothing about it?
Well, we are putting the finger on the sore spot. From the moment Kifissias became a high-speed traffic avenue, it was not possible to secure places for crossing it, especially in areas where there are schools. A graph of the World Health Organisation describes the probability of inducing death when a car hits a pedestrian. If the speed is 70 km/h, which is allowed on Kifissias Avenue, the probability of killing a pedestrian is 100 percent. At the beginning and end of the school day, there are large groups of pupils at the specific location hurrying to go to school or leave it. They gather on very narrow walkways between cars racing at very high speeds, while traffic-controllers are trying to help the cars to empty the avenue. This is a chain of death. We are very lucky that we had no more casualties, God also loves children.
The need is great and common. When we made a public presentation of the project, the then Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Networks, Dimitris Repas, admitted that such overpasses were necessary and promised to build another 20 overpasses in various locations. Of course, it remained only intention, especially in today's economic climate. It is also positive that the state recognizes the existence of this serious problem. We offered to help with specifications and technical assistance. Indeed, the situation today is difficult, but the construction of such facilities is one of the intentions of the ministry.
During the preparation of the Olympics, it was planned for the boulevard to pass under the ground at this location, but it did not happen due to the lack of resources and because some residents reacted negatively, and I did not understand why.
You are a member of the organization SOS - traffic violations. What are your activities in favour of traffic safety?
We live in a world fully devoted to cars. I will share how I started looking at things quite differently, after my bitter experience. When both my children were small, I was also influenced by the ads for cars and bought that one that was considered the safest for people. I had to survive the loss of my son to understand that safety, as far as it exists, is only for the people in the car. The safest car in the world is also the most deadly tool in the hands of a bad driver. I was the same, I do not hide it. In fact, none of us realizes what a dangerous "weapon" we have in our hands. The pattern imposed on young people is that to have the fastest, if not the most aggressive car, is indicative of their masculinity. It is terribly difficult to realize how dangerous it is for the surrounding people.
I have changed my habits because I know that if I hit a child at a speed of 70 km/h, even with the most secure car, I will kill him or her. Unfortunately, society is not aware of that. This is one of the main objectives of the association: Car accidents are a scourge; they are the first cause of death in people aged under 35 years.
The second reason, which I think is very important, is the complete lack of justice in cases of accidents. This is not about revenge. I am not saying we should hang someone because I lost my child. It leads nowhere. Simply, it is not possible for people to not understand that when we move into a space we take responsibility for that. We are not for "show" penalties. We would like to make it clear that ignoring social responsibility has consequences. Currently, the only consequence for a person who causes death while driving a vehicle, regardless of whether the driver went through the red light or drove above the permitted speed, is increased road insurance. This sounds awful, but it is a fact. These people are convicted of manslaughter, with no regard to the causes or deaths caused. The highest penalty is five years imprisonment. The average penalty imposed does not exceed 1.5 to 2 years of probation. Nobody says that these people should rot, or even go to jail. But on the other hand, they should not go unpunished. They should be forced to understand what they did through taking part in social life by providing community service. It is unthinkable to have such impunity.
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