Traffic safety and regulations in Poland

Traffic regulations in Poland involve specific rules regarding speed limits, safe distances, and intersection safety. On expressways, the maximum speed for passenger cars and light vehicles under 3.5 tons is 120 km/h on dual-carriageway roads, but this drops to 100 km/h on single-carriageway expressways. Road managers may further reduce these limits due to construction, road conditions, or noise concerns.

Safety protocols include the ‘two-second rule,’ which serves two purposes: maintaining a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead and accounting for a two-second delay in Red Light camera systems. The GITD has confirmed that CANARD Red Light systems include this delay to allow drivers who entered an intersection during a yellow light to clear it safely, though it does not permit entering on a red signal.

Law enforcement continues to penalize dangerous driving. In a recent incident, a driver was fined 1,500 PLN and received 15 penalty points for overtaking at a pedestrian crossing and crossing a double solid line.