One of the biggest changes expands the rule that allows police to seize a driver’s license for exceeding a speed limit by more than 50 kph, commonly known in Poland as “50 plus.”
Until now, that sanction applied mainly in built-up areas, where speed limits are typically lower because of pedestrian traffic.
From next week, it will also apply on roads outside built-up areas, where many of the deadliest crashes occur.
The amendments, prepared by the Ministry of Infrastructure, change the Road Traffic Act and several related laws.
Officials said the goal is to improve road safety while also increasing mobility for young people.
The new rules also increase penalties for drivers who continue driving after their license has been seized, including when the license exists in electronic form.
Instead of extending the driving ban for up to six months, authorities will be able to revoke the person’s driving privileges entirely.
Another major change lowers the minimum age for a Category B license, for passenger cars, from 18 to 17.
New 17-year-old drivers will be allowed to drive only with an experienced adult supervisor in the passenger seat.
The ministry said the change follows solutions used in other European Union countries.
Category B driving licenses are issued to 17-year-olds, among others, in Austria, Estonia, France, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Germany, according to officials.
Until turning 18, a 17-year-old’s license will be valid only in Poland.
The requirement for supervised driving will apply for six months after the license is issued or until the driver comes of age, whichever comes first.
Supervisors must be at least 25 years old and have held a Category B license for at least five years. They must not have had a driving ban imposed within the last five years.
Police will be allowed to test the supervisor for alcohol during a traffic stop, and supervisors must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Young drivers will also face limits on work involving driving. Until age 18, they will not be allowed to transport passengers as taxi drivers or carry out commercial road transport of goods, such as courier deliveries.
The reform also introduces a probationary period for first-time Category B drivers.
For most new drivers, the probation period will last two years. For younger drivers, it will last three years or until they turn 20.
During probation, drivers will be subject to a strict zero-alcohol rule, and zero tolerance for substances that act similarly to alcohol in the body.
Drivers who exceed 12 penalty points during the probation period will be required to complete practical training on road traffic hazards.
Committing two offenses during probation will extend the probationary period by two years.
The package also changes rules for farm vehicles, increasing the maximum permitted speed for agricultural tractors from 30 kph to 40.
Supporters of the change have argued that modern tractors are safer than older models, and designed to operate at higher speeds.
Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak said last month that Poland recorded its safest year on the roads in 2025, with fewer accidents, deaths and serious injuries than in previous years.
He pointed to regulations adopted last year allowing authorities to revoke driver's licenses from motorists who exceed speed limits by more than 50 kph on single-carriageway roads outside built-up areas.
Officials hope the rules will deliver measurable safety gains in 2026, particularly on rural roads.
Klimczak urged drivers to slow down in all conditions, especially during adverse weather, and warned truck and delivery vehicle drivers to remove snow and ice from vehicle roofs to prevent hazards.
He also highlighted the dangers at road-rail crossings, announcing a joint investment program with Polish rail authorities aimed at eliminating particularly dangerous crossings.
Deputy Infrastructure Minister Stanisław Bukowiec has said that infrastructure projects such as new bypasses, sidewalks and cycling paths, combined with public awareness campaigns, have contributed to improved safety.
Poland aims to eliminate road deaths by 2050 under the "Vision Zero" program, originally developed in Sweden, according to Bukowiec.
Preliminary police data show about 21,000 road accidents occurred in Poland last year, leaving 1,651 people dead and more than 24,700 injured.
Police also stopped more than 95,000 drunk drivers, an increase from the previous year, which authorities attributed to a higher number of roadside checks.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP, gov.pl