Safe Trips

Children and young people will soon leave for summer camps and youth camps. Even now, as is usually the case toward the end of the school year, trips are being organized. It has become good practice for the police and the Road Transport Inspection to inspect coaches carrying children and young people. Trip organizers can notify the police or the Road Transport Inspection in advance that they need a coach inspected. In many Polish cities, permanent locations have been designated where police officers conduct inspections reported in advance.

If a teacher, parent or trip organizer has any concerns about the coach’s technical condition, or if the driver’s sobriety is in doubt, the vehicle should not be allowed to continue, and the concerns should be reported to police officers. It should be remembered that every driver, when getting behind the wheel, is responsible for the lives of all passengers.

People organizing recreational trips should pay particular attention to hiring a coach. Organizers can obtain certain information showing that the vehicle and driver have been properly prepared themselves, for example by asking to see the vehicle’s technical inspection, looking at the tires, and finding out the year the bus was manufactured and its mileage. Very heavily used vehicles, even if prepared for the journey, pose a risk of breakdowns and complications during travel.

While traveling by coach, children should not walk around inside the vehicle, lean out of the windows, stand on the seats or lean against the doors. Such behavior is not only dangerous, but also distracts the driver.

Bus stops should be made only in designated places, preferably in marked parking areas.

Under road traffic regulations, a vehicle carrying an organized group of children and young people under the age of 18 must display yellow signs with a black children’s symbol at the front and rear. The driver of such a vehicle must switch on the hazard lights while children are boarding or leaving the vehicle. A bus driver may not smoke or consume food while carrying passengers. The driver is also prohibited from leaving the vehicle while the engine is running. The driver, on whom the safety of the trip participants depends, should be rested and well-slept.

How can you make coach travel safe?

  1. before your child leaves by coach, check who is organizing the trip and whether they have the appropriate qualifications and a good reputation. Such information can most often be found online—people readily exchange their observations. Do not be guided solely by the lower coach-hire price, as this often does not go hand in hand with safety
  2. if you have justified suspicions about the driver’s sobriety—slurred speech, a noticeable smell of alcohol, excessive agitation or drowsiness—do not let the driver set off and notify the police. You can also call the police if you find that the vehicle’s technical condition leaves much to be desired, such as cracked windows or worn tire treads
  3. if the coach driver or carrier refuses to agree to an inspection, this may mean that they want to hide important information that could affect the safety of the journey
  4. if the bus is setting out on a longer route, consider including a clause in the coach-hire agreement requiring two drivers to be on the bus and the bus to undergo additional technical inspections. The cost of a technical inspection is approximately PLN 200
  5. trip supervisors should oversee the proper course of the journey. Adults must occupy the seats by the bus doors. The trip leader sits next to the driver
  6. the aisles in the coach must remain clear, enabling the vehicle to be evacuated quickly in an emergency (all luggage should be placed on the shelves or in the coach’s luggage compartment)
  7. there must be no additional seats in the bus aisles, and children should not walk around the bus or stand in the aisle while it is moving.
  8. if the bus is equipped with seat belts, all passengers must wear them
  9. remember to comply with drivers’ working-time limits. Breaks for rest must be scheduled during the journey. These stops may take place only in designated locations, that is, marked parking areas
  10. remember that trip supervisors share responsibility for the safety of the children being transported. If the coach driver breaks safety rules, such as exceeding the speed limit or talking on a mobile phone, they must firmly draw the driver’s attention to it. If you have concerns about the driver’s conduct after the journey, be sure to report them to the carrier
  11. when approaching the destination, children should be informed sufficiently early that they need to prepare to leave. Children should not get off the coach on the road side or step onto the road from behind the vehicle.

Safe Recreation by the Water

The holidays are a good time to spend free time by the water. Let us remember that our safety and that of our children by the water depends largely on us. Let us follow the basic rules while relaxing by the water.

Rules for safe swimming:

  1. swim only in supervised areas, that is, where there is a WOPR lifeguard
  2. follow the rules of the swimming area where you are staying. Follow the lifeguard’s comments and instructions
  3. do not swim during storms, fog or strong, gusty winds
  4. do not swim in places with many weeds, or where you know there are whirlpools or cold currents. Swim in places you know well
  5. do not jump into water in unfamiliar places. It may result in death or disability. Diving headfirst in such places is strictly forbidden
  6. do not play at dunking other people using the water or pushing them into the water from jetties and air mattresses
  7. remember that an inflatable mattress is not intended for going into deep water, nor is an inflatable ring
  8. never swim after consuming alcohol
  9. when swimming at designated bathing areas, pay attention to the people around you. It may turn out that someone needs help. If you are able to help, do so, but within the limits of your abilities. If you do not feel capable of helping, notify other people
  10. do not overestimate your swimming abilities. If you want to go on a longer swim, be accompanied by a boat or at least by one other person. You should wear a swim cap so that you are visible to others in the water. You can also use a buoy worn with shoulder straps for this purpose
  11. do not swim too far from the shore after dark. Swimming after sunset is dangerous.

Komenda Główna Policji/ii