Figures show that Poland’s worst speeding drivers are in Lubuskie in the West, with 29% breaking the limit, at 67.5km/h averages. The least speedy are the sedate drivers of Podlaskie (Białystok) in the East, with 18% of them breaking the limit at 55.4km/h.

image speeding car

Reduction in accidents increases insurance costs

It’s unlikely the figures represent the average infringments of all drivers in all places at all times, of course, the measurement is only as good as the individual locations that speeds were recorded.

The figures came to light as part of a study on installation of “black boxes” where drivers can get reduced car insurance premiums in return for having their driving monitored. More on that below the table.

Table of speeders by region

Voivodeship Capital Speed km/h / % speeders
Lubuskie Zielona Góra 67.5 / 28.9
Opolskie Opole 65.9 / 44.1
Mazowieckie Warsaw 64.2 / 42.3
Zachodnio-Pomorskie Szczecin 64.1 / 41.1
Śląskie Katowice 63.1 / 33
Wielkopolskie Poznań 62.8 / 36.1
Lubelskie Lublin 62.1 / 43.9
Małopolskie Cracow 61.9 / 29
Podkarpackie Rzeszów 61.6 / 27.3
Łódzkie Łódź 61.1 / 32.6
Pomorskie Gdańsk 60.7 / 24.7
Świętokrzyskie Kielce 58.6 / 25.7
Dolnośląskie Wrocław 58.0 / 21.3
Warmińsko-Mazurskie Olsztyn 56.4 / 19.5
Kujawsko-Pomorskie Bydgoszcz 55.9 / 26.1
Podlaskie Białystok 55.4 / 18.1

 
There is no actual evidence the speeds have a direct link to driver safety, or much detail on which driver license or vehicle categories are measured. However, judging by how seriously they are being taken by the insurance industry, they must hold some credibility.

The study of “black boxes” was covered by Newsweek Poland, with insurance companies looking to get the boxes installed in return for lower premiums.

PZU insurers are the first to offer the black boxes, or “czarna skrzynka“. The insurers promote other benefits beyond drivers’ safety, such as less brake wear, and less fuel costs, citing up to 25% savings on expenses for company users.

Potential users are very concerned about privacy, and to what use information about driving habits, and locations would be used. The insurers stress that this is not the objective of the device, and such information would not be recorded.

Reducing numbers of accidents are reducing profits for the insurers, probably because accident-causing drivers pay higher premiums. According to the Road Safety Council “Krajowa Rada Bezpieczeństwa Ruchu Drogowego“, costs are increasing from 40.1 billion złoty in 2013 to an estimated 50.7 billion złoty in 2015.

 
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