EU expands road safety rules: mandatory helmets in Poland and driver‑monitoring systems for new cars
From 3 March 2026, Poland requires children under 16 to wear protective helmets when riding bicycles, electric scooters or personal transport devices. The rule aims to cut head injuries among young road users and places responsibility on caregivers for non‑compliance.
From 7 July 2026, the European Union will mandate advanced driver‑assistance features on all newly registered passenger and light‑commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. Required systems include emergency‑braking that autonomously reacts to pedestrians and cyclists, and in‑vehicle driver‑monitoring cameras that track head pose and eye movements, issuing warnings if attention lapses. Data are processed only inside the vehicle and cannot be used to identify individuals.
Both measures are part of a broader EU‑wide push to improve road safety and reduce traffic‑related injuries.