Poland’s Infrastructure Minister, Dariusz Klimczak, stated his opposition to increasing the number of speed cameras, drawing criticism from road safety activists.
Minister Rejects Calls for More Speed Cameras
Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak has expressed his view that the number of speed cameras on Polish roads should not be increased. This statement has been met with strong opposition from activists who point out that Poland has significantly fewer cameras than Western European countries.
The Minister’s declaration came during a conversation with Bogdan Rymanowski on Radio Zet. When asked if Poland needed more speed cameras, Klimczak responded with a simple “No.”
Activists Condemn Minister’s Position
The association “Miasto Jest Nasze” (City is Ours) has strongly condemned the Minister’s statement, calling it “scandalous.” Kuba Czajkowski of the association noted that the Minister also chairs the National Road Safety Council.
The organization highlights the relatively low number of speed cameras in Poland compared to Western European nations. Currently, approximately 650 automated devices operate on Polish roads to detect speeding and red-light violations.
Comparison with Other European Countries
In contrast, Italy has 11,300 speed cameras, the United Kingdom has 7,800, Germany has 4,800, France has 3,800, and the Netherlands has 3,200.
Road Safety Concerns Remain
While road fatalities decreased by 13% last year to 1,651, significant improvements in road safety are still needed. Speeding remains a major contributing factor to accidents, including fatal ones.
Delays in Legal Changes to Improve Enforcement
Progress on legal changes aimed at improving speed camera enforcement has been slow. Currently, nearly half of drivers fined for speeding avoid paying the penalty by denying they were behind the wheel, often blaming others.
Proposed changes, including adding offenders to a “blacklist” and revoking their driver’s licenses, were presented last year but have not been implemented.
Ongoing Work on System Improvements
The Ministry of Infrastructure recently acknowledged that work on changes to tighten the speed camera system is still ongoing, with no confirmed implementation date.
Increased Penalties for Excessive Speeding
As of early March, drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h on single-carriageway two-way roads outside built-up areas face a three-month driving ban. Previously, this penalty only applied to speeding within built-up areas.
