The act of a motorcyclist passing between two traffic lanes constitutes an illegal action and a direct violation of the Road Traffic Code. As a result, the motorcyclist is solely responsible for any traffic accident that occurs due to this behavior.
The Greek Supreme Court (Areios Pagos), in its decision No. 55/2016, ruled that the motorcyclist was solely at fault for a traffic accident that took place while the motorcyclist was moving between two traffic lanes in order to overtake stationary vehicles and cover as much distance as possible on the road.
Specifically, drivers of vehicles must comply with the existing road markings, which indicate the lanes for vehicle movement. In the case where a motorcyclist moves on the dividing line between lanes, navigating through stationary vehicles, the Court ruled that the motorcyclist failed to maintain control and supervision of the vehicle, making it impossible for them to perform the necessary maneuvers as required by Article 19 of the Road Traffic Code. Moreover, the motorcyclist did not stay within the boundaries of a single traffic lane, as prescribed by Article 16, paragraph 3 of the Road Traffic Code.
By engaging in this behavior, the motorcyclist created risks for the circulation of vehicles and other road users. In this specific case, the Supreme Court ruled that the motorcyclist’s driving behavior was the exclusive cause of the accident and its resulting consequences.
Furthermore, the fact that a truck was moving in the left lane of the road did not lead to shared fault for the accident. This is because the truck driver was moving steadily within their designated lane and at a very low speed.
