Poland is one of Europe’s leading nations in road fatalities, a statistic that will surprise few who have had the pleasure of using the roads here. A lethal combination of poor road surfaces, networks unsuited to the volume of different traffic and, most of all, drivers who have no consideration for anybody else result in the common sight of mangled wreckages of cars around the country. Yes, the crosses you see beside roadsides are there to mark fatal crashes. Police seem unwilling to control irresponsible driving, and don’t be surprised to see cars shooting through red lights, cutting each other up and staking a claim for the Formula 1 championship. While we do not advise against driving in Poland, we do wish to make a number of points clear to the foreign driver.
The road quality issue is being addressed with EU directives and funding but the size of the country’s road network as well as its condition means that it’ll be years till improvements will take effect. In fact the issue of the condition of the road and rail networks are being cited by many experts as being a serious handicap to the development of the Polish economy.
For someone taking to the road today the following warnings should be taken into account. Firstly when driving outside of built-up areas you will typically find yourself sharing a single lane road with anything from a sports car convertible to a tiny 900cc banger. Throw in the huge fleet of lorries that traverse Poland and you will commonly find yourself in a situation where traffic is blocked behind said lorries/banger. This results in frustrated/impatient drivers overtaking each other at high speed and then braking sharply to avoid oncoming traffic. Be warned and keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front.
Secondly beware of the hard shoulders of these roads, the vast majority of which are unlit at night. These are often used as pavements by local people who add to the Russian roulette by venturing out at night wearing their darkest clothing. Add in the odd drunk on a bike and these hard shoulders become a very real problem when facing a set of headlights bearing down on your vehicle.
For those brave enough to venture out the following information should be noted. Poland has strong drink-driving laws: 0.2‰ is the maximum blood/alcohol limit, so forget about having even a single beer - this did nothing to deter the prat who was arrested outside Warsaw a couple of years back with a blood/alcohol level of 9.5‰ (approximately 24 pints). EU citizens may use their home driving licenses as long as they are valid, however citizens of countries that didn't ratify the Vienna Convention (tsk, tsk Australia and America) will find their licenses invalid (though that hasn't stopped anyone we know from driving their girlfriend's car). Carry your license and passport at all times when driving.
The speed limit is 50km/hr in cities (60km/hr between 23:00 and 05:00), 90km/hr outside urban areas, 120km/hr on dual carriageways and 140km/hr on motorways. All cars are required to carry a red warning triangle, first aid kit, replacement bulbs and a national identity sticker. A new law was introduced in April 2007 making it compulsory to have headlights switched on at all times. Car related crime is high and drivers should make use of guarded car parks where possible.
The road quality issue is being addressed with EU directives and funding but the size of the country’s road network as well as its condition means that it’ll be years till improvements will take effect. In fact the issue of the condition of the road and rail networks are being cited by many experts as being a serious handicap to the development of the Polish economy.
For someone taking to the road today the following warnings should be taken into account. Firstly when driving outside of built-up areas you will typically find yourself sharing a single lane road with anything from a sports car convertible to a tiny 900cc banger. Throw in the huge fleet of lorries that traverse Poland and you will commonly find yourself in a situation where traffic is blocked behind said lorries/banger. This results in frustrated/impatient drivers overtaking each other at high speed and then braking sharply to avoid oncoming traffic. Be warned and keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front.
Secondly beware of the hard shoulders of these roads, the vast majority of which are unlit at night. These are often used as pavements by local people who add to the Russian roulette by venturing out at night wearing their darkest clothing. Add in the odd drunk on a bike and these hard shoulders become a very real problem when facing a set of headlights bearing down on your vehicle.
For those brave enough to venture out the following information should be noted. Poland has strong drink-driving laws: 0.2‰ is the maximum blood/alcohol limit, so forget about having even a single beer - this did nothing to deter the prat who was arrested outside Warsaw a couple of years back with a blood/alcohol level of 9.5‰ (approximately 24 pints). EU citizens may use their home driving licenses as long as they are valid, however citizens of countries that didn't ratify the Vienna Convention (tsk, tsk Australia and America) will find their licenses invalid (though that hasn't stopped anyone we know from driving their girlfriend's car). Carry your license and passport at all times when driving.
The speed limit is 50km/hr in cities (60km/hr between 23:00 and 05:00), 90km/hr outside urban areas, 120km/hr on dual carriageways and 140km/hr on motorways. All cars are required to carry a red warning triangle, first aid kit, replacement bulbs and a national identity sticker. A new law was introduced in April 2007 making it compulsory to have headlights switched on at all times. Car related crime is high and drivers should make use of guarded car parks where possible.
No no, it's not that bad as described here. :-) Yes, the road network is far less developed, if compared to Germany. Yes, traffic is rather intensive on certain roads and certain days of week. However, it is possible to travel quickly and comfortably, if you remember one rule: all good roads go to Warsaw. I.e., it's a system of rays, all starting/finishing in capital of Poland. For example, we are crossing Poland (from border with Lithuania to border with Germany/route to Berlin) within 14 hours (including 5-6 stops for kids). All driving within rules!
Well , after reading this awful comment , I think I would prefer to avoide Poland and pass directly from Lübeck or Rostock to Sweden , instead riding to Gdynia and then travel by ferry to Nynäshamn (near from Stockholm ) .