Poland’s government plans a new law that could sentence drivers to up to five years in prison for reckless speeding, taking effect early 2026.
Reckless Speeding Could Become a Crime
The draft law would criminalise “grossly dangerous” driving that creates a danger to others, carrying prison terms of 3 months to 5 years.
Thresholds are relative to the legal speed limit; exceeding by at least 50 % on motorways and expressways—e.g., over 210 km/h on a motorway—could trigger the offence, while on other roads the threshold is a 100 % increase, such as 180 km/h when the limit is 90 km/h.
Additional Harshening Measures
The proposal also targets illegal street races and drifting, with penalties of 3 months to 5 years imprisonment for organisers and participants. It introduces stricter measures to remove dangerously irresponsible drivers from the road, including lifetime driving bans in selected cases such as repeated refusal of court orders.
Status and Implementation
After approval by the Council of Ministers, the draft was sent to the Sejm, which passed the new provisions. They are now under review by the Senate and await the President’s signature. The law is set to enter force roughly 30 days after publication in the Journal of Laws, pointing to early 2026.
Implications for Drivers
The new rules upgrade the most serious speed infractions to offences, adding heavy fines, demerit points, and potential imprisonment for extreme violations that seriously endanger others. For example, speed limits for the offence are 180 km/h on a 120 km/h road, 165 km/h on a 110 km/h road, and 150 km/h on a 100 km/h road.
Context and Purpose
The Justice Ministry says the aim is to improve safety and respond decisively to “road banditry”—extreme arrogance and street racing. It argues that financial penalties have been insufficient for deterrence.