Road rules and safety - Poland

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The use of seat belts and child restraint systems is MANDATORY (Directive 91/671/EEC as amended).

Seat belts are not compulsory for:

  • persons with a medical certificate of exemption from compulsory seat belt wearing
  • visibly pregnant women
  • taxi drivers carrying passengers
  • driving instructors and examiners during driving lessons and tests
  • Police, Internal Security Agency, Foreign Intelligence Agency, Military Counter-Intelligence Service, Military Intelligence Service, Central Anti-Corruption Bureau and Border Guard officers, Treasury Control inspectors, Customs and Prison Service officers and Polish Armed Forces personnel, when transporting persons under arrest
  • Government Security Bureau officers during the performance of their duties
  • Military Police officers during the performance of their duties
  • medical teams when providing medical assistance
  • security guards when transporting cash
  • ill or disabled persons being transported on a stretcher or in a wheelchair
  • children under 3 years of age who are passengers on a bus
  • children up to 4 years of age who are passengers on a public bus and are not using a separate seat

Child seats are not compulsory in:

  • taxis
  • buses
  • ambulances
  • police vehicles
  • border guard vehicles
  • municipal police vehicles
  • and in cases where a doctor has issued a certificate of exemption from compulsory use of a child safety seat or other child restraint

Red means 'Stop'; you must not go beyond the traffic light.

When red and amber show together, this also means 'Stop', but indicates that the lights are about to change to green.

Green means you may proceed, provided you can clear the intersection during the green phase and your entering the intersection does not pose any danger to other road users.

Amber means ‘Stop’. Only if you are already so close to the traffic light that stopping would mean having to brake hard may you go on when the amber light appears; amber also indicates that the signal is about to turn to red.

A green arrow under a red light: this means that you may turn off in the direction indicated by the arrow, provided that you first stop at the light before proceeding without hindering other road users who have a green light.

Motorcycles
Vehicles below 3.5 t

Standard speed limits (unless otherwise stated by traffic signs) [km/h]

Urban roads
  • 50 km/h
20

20 km/h in residential areas.

Non-urban roads/other roads
Motorways/Dual-carriageway expresswaysMotorways: 140 km/hDual-carriageway expressways: 120 km/h
Single-carriageway expressways and dual carriageways with at least two lanes in each directionSpeed limits for motorcycles (including with trailer), quads and mopeds with a child passenger up to 7 years old: 40 km/h

Passenger cars & vans
Vehicles below 3.5 t

Standard speed limits (unless otherwise stated by traffic signs) [km/h]

Urban roads
  • 50 km/h
20

20 km/h in residential areas.

Non-urban roads/other roads
Motorways/dual-carriageway expressways
  • Motorways: 140 km/h
  • Dual-carriageway expressways: 120 km/h
Single-carriageway expressways/dual carriageways with at least two lanes in each direction

Passenger cars & vans with trailers
Vehicles below 3.5 t

Standard speed limits (unless otherwise stated by traffic signs) [km/h]

Urban roads
  • 50 km/h
20

20 km/h in residential areas.

Motorways and expressways and dual carriageways with at least two lanes in each direction.
Non-urban roads/other roads

Heavy goods vehicles
over 3.5 t

Standard speed limits (unless otherwise stated by traffic signs) [km/h]

Urban roads
  • 50 km/h
20

20 km/h in residential areas.

Motorways and expressways and dual carriageways with at least two lanes in each direction.
Non-urban roads/other roads

Buses

Standard speed limits (unless otherwise stated by traffic signs) [km/h]

Motorways and expressways and dual carriageways with at least two lanes in each direction
Urban roads
  • 50 km/h
20

20 km/h in residential areas.

Non-urban roads/other roads
Motorways-expressways for buses with special technical equipment
< 0,2 g/l

Standard drivers

< 0,2 g/l

Novice drivers

< 0,2 g/l

Professional drivers

Forbidden drugs

Opioids (morphine and heroin)

Amphetamine and its analogues (metamphetamine, ecstasy)

Cocaine

THC (cannabis)

Benzodiazepines

All substances with an influence similar to alcohol

Cyclists

50

Cyclists must use cycle paths or cycle lanes where provided and marked for the direction in which they are travelling or intend to turn. Riding on the road alongside another cycle or moped is permitted by way of exception provided this does not hinder other road users or otherwise endanger traffic safety

A cyclist may exceptionally use pavements or footpaths if:

  • he or she is accompanying a child cyclist under 10 years of age
  • the width of a pavement next to a road with a speed limit of more than 50 km/h is at least 2 metres and there is no separate cycle path or cycle lane
  • weather conditions make cycling on the road unsafe (snow, strong wind, heavy rain, ice, thick fog)

A cyclist using a pavement or footpath must ride slowly and with great care, giving way to pedestrians.

Cyclists must not:

  • ride on the road alongside another road user
  • ride without keeping at least one hand on the handlebars and both feet on the pedals or footrests
  • hold on to other vehicles

Some towns and cities provide advanced stop lines for bicycles and contraflow lanes.

And some provide combined cycle and footpaths. When using these, cyclists must take particular care and give way to pedestrians.

Pedestrians

5050

Pedestrians must use pavements or footpaths or, when none are provided, the hard shoulder or verge. If there is no hard shoulder/verge or it is temporarily out of use, pedestrians may use the carriageway, provided they stay as close to the side as possible and keep well clear of approaching vehicles.

Pedestrians walking on the hard shoulder/verge or carriageway must keep to the left-hand side of the road.

Pedestrians are allowed to use cycle paths only if there is no pavement or hard shoulder/verge or it is impossible to use them. Apart from the disabled, pedestrians using a cycle path must give way to cyclists.

Footpaths/pedestrian zones

50

Footpaths/pedestrian zones are strictly for pedestrian use only and all vehicle traffic is prohibited.

Residential areas

50

In designated residential areas pedestrians have right of way over vehicles; they may use the full width of the road and cross it at any point they wish. Children below 7 years of age may use the road without having to be accompanied by adults. Drivers must not exceed a speed of 20 km/h.

Public transport lanes

50

Some lanes are reserved for public transport services.

Motorway lanes

It is forbidden to drive on the hard shoulder and to stop or park there, except in the event of a breakdown.

Bicycles
Mopeds
Motorcycles with/without a sidecar(Except vehicles originally equipped with seat-belts)
Light and heavy tricycles(Except vehicles originally equipped with seat-belts)
Light and heavy quadricycles(Except vehicles originally equipped with seat-belts and closed bodywork)
Drivers may not use their mobile phone without a hand-free set
Drivers may use their mobile phone with a hand-free set


It is forbidden for a pedestrian to use a telephone or other electronic device while entering or crossing the road, track or pedestrian crossing – in a way that leads to a reduced ability to observe the situation on the road, track or pedestrian crossing.

Daytime running lights (dipped headlights in the dark) are compulsory
Safety equipment for carsFire-extinguisher
Warning triangle
Safety equipment for pedestriansPedestrians using a road outside a built-up area after dusk are obliged to wear reflective elements visible to other road users, except when walking on stretches of road designated for pedestrian use only or on the pavement.
Compulsory equipment for cyclists
Pedestrians
Emergency corridor and zipper merge

The drivers are obliged to create an emergency corridor and zipper merge as presented in the pictures below. This allows shortening the emergency services' arrival to the accident place and ensures smoother traffic on the roads.

Disclaimer

This content on road safety and traffic rules is provided by the national authorities according to Article 8(1) of Directive (EU) 2015/413/EU. The European Commission does not assume liability for this content or its accuracy. For the most accurate and up-to-date information check national websites, where you can also find information on other national rules covering time-based charges (vignettes), emission stickers and road tolls.

See main information on this topic

Road rules and safety

Last checked: 12/06/2023
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