Vision Zero in Poland

Jamroz, Kazimierz; Romanowska, Aleksandra; Michalski, Lech; Żukowska, Joanna · 2022 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23176-7_14-1

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Summary

This paper reviews three decades of road safety efforts in Poland, analyzing the country’s transition from a period of catastrophic fatality rates to its current adoption of the Vision Zero philosophy. The research addresses the persistent challenge of high road accident deaths in Poland, which remain among the highest in the European Union despite significant reductions since the early 1990s. The study aims to diagnose systemic failures, evaluate the effectiveness of past national road safety programs, and outline necessary changes to achieve the ethical goal of zero fatalities. The authors conduct a comprehensive historical analysis of Poland’s road safety landscape, utilizing police database statistics (SEWIK) and socioeconomic data from 1988 to 2019. The review examines the evolution of five national road safety programs, specifically the GAMBIT series (1996–2020), assessing their strategic frameworks, implementation successes, and structural weaknesses. The analysis identifies nine key problem areas generating high fatality rates: excessive speed, national road infrastructure deficits, pedestrian vulnerability, high accident severity, nighttime accidents, dangerous roadsides, drink-driving, junction safety, and pedestrian crossings. The study also evaluates the integration of the “4E” approach (Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Emergency) and the influence of international cooperation and EU accession on Polish policy. The findings reveal that while road fatalities dropped from a peak of 7,900 in 1991 to approximately 2,900 in 2019, Poland’s fatality rate remains 50% higher than the EU average. Specific interventions yielded mixed results; for instance, speed camera systems and infrastructure improvements reduced speed-related fatalities by 61% and national road deaths by 65%, respectively. However, pedestrian fatalities remain critically high, accounting for 31% of all deaths, due to inadequate infrastructure and driver behavior. The review highlights that previous programs often failed due to a lack of clear leadership, insufficient funding, poor coordination between government tiers, and weak monitoring systems. Although drink-driving fatalities decreased by 83% through enforcement, other issues like junction safety and nighttime accidents persist due to infrastructure flaws and regulatory gaps. The paper concludes that achieving Vision Zero requires systemic reform beyond isolated measures. It argues that current institutions are ineffective due to diffuse collective responsibility and low political priority. To succeed, Poland must adopt a knowledge-based, integrated approach with dedicated funding, clear accountability, and robust monitoring. The authors recommend learning from high-performing nations, improving road infrastructure standards, and enforcing stricter safety protocols. Ultimately, the study asserts that reducing fatalities to zero demands a fundamental shift in how road safety is managed, prioritizing human life over mobility and ensuring consistent, well-resourced implementation of safety strategies.

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• comparative international