Ministry of Infrastructure:
The new regulations introduce clear rules for driver behavior in two situations important for road safety and traffic flow: when emergency services need to reach the scene of a road incident quickly, and when a road narrowing reduces the number of available lanes.
“In a life-threatening situation on the road, every second matters. We want drivers to know how to create emergency corridors so that the relevant services can reach injured people as quickly as possible,” said Minister of Infrastructure and chairman of the National Road Safety Council Andrzej Adamczyk.
The amendment clarifies the existing regulations by precisely defining the rules for drivers to create free space for emergency vehicles and yield to them, including the proper direction in which to change lanes to create an emergency corridor. In short: drivers traveling in the far-left lane must move left, while those traveling in the other lanes must move right, allowing emergency vehicles to pass freely.
“Improving road safety is one of the government’s priorities. To achieve this, we are taking appropriate legislative action. We know that, in addition to changes in regulations, we must continually shape the right attitudes among Poles—and this is possible through campaigns such as ‘Life Has Priority’,” emphasized Minister Andrzej Adamczyk.
What about zipper merging?
In the case of zipper merging, the regulations precisely define the rules governing priority for vehicles entering from individual lanes when the number of lanes is reduced and a queue forms at the narrowing. They also establish the rule of alternating entry, one vehicle at a time from each lane.
The new solutions are similar to regulations that have been successfully in force for years in many European countries. The legislative changes result from measures set out in the 2018–2019 Implementation Programme for the 2013–2020 National Road Safety Programme, for which the National Road Safety Council is responsible.
When will the new regulations enter into force?
The new regulations will take effect 21 days after publication in the Journal of Laws.
Let us recall that we have repeatedly written about the Emergency Corridor—Think Aheadcampaign, initiated, among others, by firefighters from Czerna. The initiative was also frequently covered by the largest nationwide media outlets.
Unfortunately, we have also repeatedly reported that there are still many “road sheep” who, through their arrogance, recklessness, and often sheer stupidity, hindered the work of services saving the lives of people injured in accidents.
Will the new regulations change this? We invite you to join the discussion.