The Senate delayed the enforcement of rules regarding railway crossings. Harsh penalties were postponed just before signing.
In short:
The Senate did not propose amendments to the revision of the Road Traffic Act, which drastically increases penalties for violations at railway crossings
Drivers who enter at closed gates or on a red light will have their driving licenses revoked for three months
A mandatory ban on driving is also introduced in the event of an accident or disaster
Statistics from the National Police Headquarters clearly show that in the overwhelming majority of cases, drivers themselves are responsible for these tragedies
Consistent tightening of regulations in parliament
91 senators voted in favor of adopting the amendment to the Road Traffic Act without changes, 90 voted in favor, no one was against, and one person abstained. This is a crucial legislative moment, indicating that the new strict regulations have already passed both the Sejm and Senate. The final step is the president’s signature, after which the new law will come into effect. The law aims to curb reckless driving by those who still engage in risky maneuvers at railway crossings.
The Ministry of Infrastructure has repeatedly emphasized in the project’s justification that although incidents on railway tracks account for a relatively small percentage of all road collisions and accidents, they feature disproportionately high mortality rates. The weight of a train and its braking distance mean that a collision with a passenger car almost never ends without casualties.
What Penalties Await Drivers Who Break the Rules
The amendment introduces strict and severe penalties for drivers who ignore warning signals. Any illegal crossing of railway tracks when the barriers are closed, lowered, or not yet raised will result in an immediate three-month suspension of the driving license. The same penalty applies to drivers who enter an intersection with tracks while the light is red or when there is no space behind the tracks to continue driving, causing the vehicle to get stuck on the tracks.
But that’s not all. The regulation also introduces a mandatory ban on driving motor vehicles in cases where a real threat is created. If a driver is convicted of causing a disaster or accident at a railway crossing, this ban is set to last at least three years. In cases where an immediate danger of disaster is posed, the court will impose a driving ban of at least one year.
It’s worth recalling what the current penalties are. Currently, drivers who commit violations in this area receive fines of 2,000 zlotys along with up to 15 penalty points. If the same offense is committed again within two years, the penalty increases to 4,000 zlotys. The new laws add an extremely severe administrative consequence in the form of loss of driving privileges.
Police statistics leave no room for doubt
The scale of the problem is enormous, as confirmed by official data from the Police Headquarters cited by the Ministry of Infrastructure. In 2024, there were 39 accidents at rail crossings, resulting in 23 deaths and 29 injuries. Alarmingly, the driver was found to be solely at fault in 32 of these cases, accounting for over 80 percent of all incidents.
A year later, unfortunately, the situation did not improve significantly. At that time, 51 accidents were recorded, resulting in 27 deaths and 40 injuries, with driver negligence identified in 38 of these cases. By the end of August 2026, 35 accidents had already occurred, causing 16 deaths and 40 injuries. In 30 of these incidents, drivers were at fault. These figures show that human recklessness, haste, and disregard for basic safety rules are the main causes of tragedies at road-rail intersections.
What’s next with the law
The Senate’s approval of the amendment without changes means the bill in its original form will now go directly to the president’s desk. If signed into law, any careless driving through a red light or bypassing an abandoned bridge will result in immediate loss of driving privileges. The new law is intended to act as a deterrent and force drivers to stop, look left and right, and ensure the tracks are completely clear.
Edited by electromobilni.pl