We are showing the above photographs of the Subaru wreckage as a warning. Recklessness, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, speeding, a lack of imagination, irresponsibility—and perhaps simply human stupidity and the boorish behavior of some drivers—lead to tragedies on the roads.
As analyses of road traffic safety show, exceeding the permitted speed limits is one of the most common causes of road incidents. In recent years, excessive speed has been responsible for approximately 25% of road accidents. The number of people who die in these incidents accounts for 40% of all road accident fatalities.
During preventive and inspection operations, police officers remind drivers how important it is to drive at the so-called “safe speed”—that is, a speed at which the driver remains able to maintain full control of the vehicle. Let us remember that traffic situations are often dynamic and circumstances may arise in which we are forced to react immediately. In such cases, excessive speed becomes a factor that causes us to lose control of the vehicle, which in turn may lead to road incidents with tragic consequences.
Concerned for the safety of travelers, the Police appeal for caution and compliance with road traffic regulations, including the applicable speed limits.
Pursuant to the Road Traffic Act, the following speed limits apply in Poland:
Article 20. 1. The permitted speed of a vehicle or combination of vehicles in a built-up area between 5:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. is 50 km/h, subject to paragraph 2.
1a. The permitted speed of a vehicle or combination of vehicles in a built-up area between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. is 60 km/h, subject to paragraph 2.
2. The permitted speed of a vehicle or combination of vehicles in a residential zone is 20 km/h.
3. Subject to paragraphs 4 and 5, the permitted speed outside a built-up area is, in the case of:
1) a passenger car, motorcycle, or truck with a permissible maximum gross weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes:
a) on a motorway—140 km/h,
b) on a dual-carriageway expressway—120 km/h,
c) on a single-carriageway expressway and on a dual-carriageway road with at least two lanes designated for each direction of traffic—100 km/h,
d) on other roads—90 km/h;
2) a combination of vehicles or a vehicle not listed in point 1:
a) on a motorway, expressway, or dual-carriageway road with at least two lanes designated for each direction of traffic—80 km/h,
b) on other roads—70 km/h.
4. The permitted speed of a bus meeting the additional technical requirements specified in the regulations referred to in Article 66(5), on a motorway or expressway, is 100 km/h.