High Fines in Poland? From Saturday, It Gets Even More Expensive! Up to PLN 5,000 for Repeat-Offending Road Hooligans

On Saturday, September 17, changes to the Road Traffic Law come into force. As reported, among others, by the Lubin police station:

The aim is to increase road safety. Repeat offenders will pay more. The changes concern violations from the same category committed within two years of the previous offense.

It adds:

The traffic fine will be twice as high. The violations that will become more costly include exceeding the speed limit by more than 31 km/h, failing to yield to a pedestrian, improper overtaking, and entering a railway crossing after the barriers have been lowered or the red light has come on.

As we read on the website of Rzeczpospolita:

The double-fine rule will apply in the following situations:

• Failing to yield to a pedestrian – PLN 1,500; repeat offense: PLN 3,000.
• Overtaking at or before a pedestrian crossing – PLN 1,500; repeat offense: PLN 3,000.
• Passing a vehicle that has stopped to yield to a pedestrian – PLN 1,500; repeat offense: PLN 3,000.
• Failing to exercise caution and causing a road-safety hazard resulting in an injured pedestrian, cyclist, etc. – PLN 1,500; repeat offense: PLN 3,000.
• Violating a no-overtaking prohibition – PLN 1,000; repeat offense: PLN 2,000.
• Entering a track crossing while the barriers are being lowered, lowered, or have not finished rising – PLN 2,000; repeat offense: PLN 4,000.
• Entering a railway crossing on a red signal or when there is no room on the other side to continue driving – PLN 2,000; repeat offense: PLN 4,000.
• Driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol or another similarly acting substance – PLN 2,500; repeat offense: PLN 5,000.

Harsh penalties await repeat-offending drivers who exceed the speed limit. According to autokult.pl:

A detailed list of offenses covered by the repeat-offense rules and the corresponding fines is available on autokult.pl.

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