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Post by Jaga on Jun 23, 2009 17:58:01 GMT -7
Poland is the second in the European Union when it comes to the number of fatal car accidents.
The report compiled by the European Transport Security Council shows that in 2008 almost five and a half thousand people died on Poland’s roads. The only European country with a higher death toll than Poland is Lithuania. Even Romania and Bulgaria, where the quality of roads is low, have a better road safety record.
The reason why there are so many fatal accidents in Poland is not only the lack of safe roads and motorways but also the high speed of many drivers. According to Police Headquarters, thirty percent of accidents are caused by excessive speed, twenty-four percent by not giving way and seven percent by incorrect overtaking.
Surprisingly, company cars are involved in thirty percent of road accidents.
Ten years ago, EU member states initiated a road safety program which aimed at reducing the number of fatalities by 2010. Several countries, among them France and Latvia, managed to achieve the program’s goal. Poland is predicted to cut the death toll by no sooner than 2013.
“The disgraceful road statistics in Poland will only improve when a photo-radar law is introduced,” claims Maria Dabrowska-Loranc from the Road Safety Center. The solution proved to be highly successful in France, where the number of fatalities was reduced by twenty percent. The bill is currently being revised by the Constitutional Tribunal. (mg/pg)
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Post by Jaga on Jun 24, 2009 8:49:17 GMT -7
I like driving in Idaho, here roads are quite safe, but I would never drive in Poland
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Post by tuftabis on Jun 24, 2009 11:28:33 GMT -7
jaga, yes, driving in Poland is probably not even close to being as calm as in Idaho. The road infastructure is generally well behind the best developed counties of the world. But don't get discouraged totally - we are working to improve that. Hopefully in the next 5 to 6 years the deaths occuring on Polish roads will drop. We are looking forward to it. You will perhaps be astonished there are still some distant and desolated regions of the country where the fatal road accidents almost never happern, there really are!
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Post by Eric on Jun 24, 2009 17:08:38 GMT -7
As was discussed elsewhere in the forum not too long ago, it is really the attitudes of the drivers that is to blame. They feel that the traffic laws are totally unimportant, so they drive exactly how they want to, with absolutely no regard whatsoever for the other users of the road. The result - a very high number of accidents.
Poland could have the best paved roads in the entire universe, and the accident rate would STILL be astronomical unless drivers choose to change their thinking and behavior.
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Post by tuftabis on Jun 25, 2009 10:51:14 GMT -7
As was discussed elsewhere in the forum not too long ago, it is really the attitudes of the drivers that is to blame. Eric, yes and no. Let's look take one more look - '10 Dangerous Countries For Drivers' 1. Russia 2. Slovakia 3. Poland 4. Turkey 5. Hungary 6. Korea 7. Greece 8. United States 9. Czech Republic 10. Belgium www.forbes.com/2009/05/19/dangero....tml?partner=ctvSee Belgium, see USA? Belgium has the best imaginable roads and highway system, and they drive in a very disciplined manner. In USA the highways are misused, eveybody is driving so slowly on so many lanes. So maybe there are some other factors which are being overlooked?
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