A fine of 1,000 to 30,000 PLN may be imposed on a person driving a motor vehicle who does not comply with the ban on overtaking specified by an act or a road sign. This is supposed to deter traffic offenders overtaking on a continuous line, most frequently in front of curves or hills or where an overtaking ban sign stands by the road. In such cases, many tragic accidents occur. Today such spots are often marked as “black spots”.
Secondly, the amended law provides for detention, restriction on freedom or a fine of 1,000 to 30,000 PLN for a perpetrator who drove a vehicle on a public road, in a living street and traffic zone without required authorisation, e.g., without a driving licence.
Higher fines for alcohol and missing documents
The same penalty may be imposed for a driving a vehicle before its entry into service, i.e., when the car has not undergone current technical inspection.
Another offence for which we may be fined up to 30,000 PLN is failure to indicate at the request of an authorised authority to whom the vehicle was entrusted for driving at a specific time.
If we fail to exercise due caution or create a danger under the influence of alcohol, we may not only lose our driving licence, but also pay a fine not lower than 3,000 PLN.
We will also pay much more as of January 2022 for failure to give priority to pedestrians and for failure to stop the vehicle in order to enable a disabled person using a special sign or a person with visible limited mobility.
Passing by a vehicle driving in the same direction that has stopped to give priority to a pedestrian will be punished more severely.
Many more penalty points
As of January 2022, a driver will also get a few more penalty points for non-compliance with road traffic regulations. Until recently, it was maximum 10 points; from New Year’s Day, there will be 15. In addition, they will be annulled only after two years from the payment of the fine.
Another novelty is the minimum amount of the fine on the level of 800 PLN for exceeding the speed limit by over 30 km/h, irrespective of whether this happens in a built-up area or outside it.
