Police Headquarters:

As part of the nationwide operation, being conducted for the eleventh time this year, officers will pay particular attention to the behavior of car drivers toward pedestrians and cyclists.

Particular attention will be paid to pedestrian crossings and cycle crossings located on busy roads, as well as those where accidents involving vulnerable road users have occurred.

Police:

The safety of cyclists and pedestrians is currently at a higher level than last year. Both groups of road users were involved in fewer accidents. Consequently, fewer people were injured and, most importantly, fewer died.

Nevertheless, it should be remembered that pedestrians are the group of vulnerable road users most at risk of accidents. It is worth noting that a significant proportion of incidents involving pedestrians being struck occur at crossings designated for them, even though pedestrian crossings should, by their very nature, ensure that they can cross the road safely.

How should a driver behave?

  • When approaching a pedestrian crossing, a vehicle driver should exercise particular caution
  • give way to a pedestrian who is on the crossing
  • Furthermore, when turning onto a cross street, the driver is obliged to give way to a pedestrian crossing the carriageway of the road onto which the driver is turning at the intersection.

What is a driver prohibited from doing?

  • overtaking a vehicle at a pedestrian crossing or immediately before it, except at a crossing where traffic is controlled
  • passing a vehicle that was traveling in the same direction but stopped to give way to a pedestrian.

Officers:

We also appeal to vulnerable road users to exercise common sense on the road and use reflective elements for their own safety—not only outside built-up areas, but on all unlit roads, including those in built-up areas.

Using reflective elements increases the visibility of a pedestrian/cyclist several times, giving the vehicle driver more time to perform an evasive maneuver or brake. Moreover, because of the time of year, it gets dark earlier. Therefore, especially during the autumn and winter period, people should ensure that they are visible on the road.