Any foreigner stepping onto a crossing in Poland may wonder why a car accelerates towards you, rather than slowing down. Beware, it’s because they can, legally. Yes, you have to give way to cars. There are changes afoot which will give pedestrians the right of way.
Crossing the road is an adventure in Poland
From 1st January 2017, the law changes and a pedestrian at a crossing, will have priority over an oncoming car. The Polish press is posing questions whether it’s a good or bad thing. The good: it’s safer, if all drivers follow the new law. The bad: they might not, and there are visibility issues with many crossings.
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Polish children are taught in schools that approaching crosswalks, they have to stop, look left and right, wait until all cars have passed and move only when the road is completely clear.
The new law seems to be a shock to WP.pl, who are alarmed that the drivers of Poland will need to become “responsible to stop” and assert that this change “turns upside down everything we know”.
Comparison
| Country | Right of way Always |
Right of way Near the curb and showing intent |
Right of way Near the curb |
| Poland | |||
| Poland 1/1/17 | |||
| Australia | |||
| Britain | |||
| Canada | |||
| Hungary | |||
| New Zealand | |||
| Romania | |||
| Slovenia | |||
| Slovakia | |||
| USA (varies by state) | |||
| Austria | |||
| Belgium | |||
| Bulgaria | |||
| Czech Republic | |||
| Denmark | |||
| Germany | |||
| Netherlands | |||
| Switzerland | |||
| France | |||
| Norway |
Ultimately, of course, it will bring excellent results. Drivers will learn that they are not the most important. It’s soft squishy pedestrians, vulnerable to drivers of large metal roadkill machines, that should be protected.
Unfortunately, Poland belongs to those countries which in terms of pedestrian safety are the worst in the EU. The threat of loss of life in on the roads is close to three times higher than in Germany, Spain, France or the UK. 400 are killed there every year, in Poland, more than 1,100 people, about 1/3 of the total fatalities. In view of these figures Poland still gets criticism from the European Commission.
The changes are revolutionary. And therefore there is a risk that in the initial period of validity of the new law there will be more tragic events.
It is true that the legislature applies to all drivers and pedestrians, but also applies to the infrastructure, spending a lot of time, but I can’t imagine that the 2016 year will not be hard work.
We cannot allow a situation where pedestrians, aware of new laws will feel too confident. It will end up really bad, if you all of a sudden, from 1 January 2017, will start to enter the lanes without looking. Must be educated as to what exactly for them means new privileges and how to use them.
..says Ryszard Fonżychowski from the Association for the improvement of road safety (Stowarzyszenia na Rzecz Poprawy Bezpieczeństwa Ruchu Drogowego).
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Government institutions are -they assure us -prepared.
The first campaign will begin later this year. The following will be implemented in the second half of 2016 and at the beginning of 2017, in connection with the entry into force of the regulation in January of this year.
-Piotr Popa said online, a spokesman for the Ministry of infrastructure and development (Ministerstwo Infrastruktury i Rozwoju).
To-do list: make crossings visible
NIK’S (supreme audit office) report shows that in Poland, 30% of horizontal road signs, and hence the “zebras,” are unreadable or invisible. Many are not lit at night and pedestrians appear on them in a way that is surprising even for careful drivers.
A huge responsibility has been dropped on the road management infrastructure. Traffic lanes need to improve, crossings redecorated. You must renew the crossing and to consider together whether or not add more markings, including with other colors. Belts must be visible there, where they are not, and such places in Poland there are many.
We are expecting a year of huge work, not just the media and education, but also on the technical side.
..says Fonżychowski.
At last – right of way on a zebra crossing. Legally speaking at least, the next challenge will be for Polish drivers to obey the law.
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This law is bullshit and is gone hahahhaha!
There are lots of errors in this badly misinformed article. A bit of revision first, please, author!
Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.
You shouldn’t misinform other people. I don’t know what is the source of your information but it’s basically wrong. A driver needs to give way to pedestrians whenever they approach a crossing. On internal roads it’s even better as pedestrians can cross them in any place they want. Moreover, if someone is disabled and it’s difficult for them to go to the nearest pedestrian crossing, they can cross anywhere they want and the driver has to let them pass. Next time please check you source first.
Law or not, try make the experience and come up to see how are things over here. Doesn’t matter where (City center or small Village), the driver ALWAYS give’em the priority…
This article is a misinterpretation. I live in Poland, pedestrians have the right of way! Kids are taught to be cautious at any crossing and it is rather a good thing.