Routine road control can rapidly turn into an costly problem for all Polish driver. Although many of us care about the method condition of the vehicle, we frequently forget about the elements that the law considers absolutely mandatory. Their absence is not only a formal failure, but a real hazard of obtaining a mandate reaching even 500 PLN. Worse still, the problem does not end with possession alone – it besides counts to be able to usage decently in a crisis situation. That is why police officers are increasingly paying attention to this seemingly insignificant object during inspections, and its deficiency of it in the trunk may be the beginning of serious financial problems. Many drivers only learn about this erstwhile it's besides late to react.
Mandatory car equipment. What does the law truly say?
The issue of mandatory equipment for all vehicle registered in Poland is regulated Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure on the method conditions of vehicles. Contrary to common myths, the list of required items is amazingly short, but its enforcement by the service is ruthless. Each passenger car shall be fitted with 2 key components: a fire extinguisher and a informing triangle.
It is worth to solve popular doubts here. Although having a first aid kit or a reflective vest is highly crucial for safety and common sense, Polish law No obligation their carriages in a passenger car. The situation is changing erstwhile travelling abroad, where local regulations can be much more restrictive. However, on Polish roads a police officer cannot impose a mandate for the deficiency of a first aid kit.
The problem is that drivers frequently ignore these requirements. The fire extinguisher can be hidden deep in the trunk and deprived of crucial legalization, and the triangle is treated as unnecessary ballast. It's a serious mistake, due to the fact that a police officer has all right to verify the presence and condition of these items during a traffic inspection. The absence of any of them is treated as an offence for which the tariffmaker provides for a severe financial penalty.
Warning triangle – double punishment for 1 error
That's it. warning triangle is an component that the absence of which usually ends with a ticket. Its function in the road safety strategy is invaluable, and the rules on its possession and usage are very precise. According to the existing tariffmaker, for the deficiency of a triangle in the vehicle itself during the roadside inspection, a mandate of 20 to 500 PLN.
But this is only the beginning of possible consequences. A much more serious punishment awaits a driver who will not usage a triangle to mark the scene in an accident or accident. In that case, the mandate shall be PLN 300. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 punishment point. Importantly, both penalties are independent of each other. This means that if the driver does not have a triangle and consequently cannot mark the disabled vehicle, he can be punished twice.
Civil law should besides be remembered. If the deficiency of appropriate marking of the crash site contributes to another collision, the driver who has not issued the triangle may be held jointly liable for the damage. In this case, costs may exceed the mandate itself on respective occasions.
How to decently usage a triangle? Key Principles That defend Life
Just having a informing triangle isn't enough. Its correct and immediate usage is crucial erstwhile the vehicle is disabled on the road due to an accident or accident. The provisions shall specify precisely at what distance from the vehicle it should be set to effectively inform another traffic participants. These rules vary according to the kind of road:
- On the road or expressway: triangle should be placed at a distance 100 meters behind the vehicle. This distance gives drivers moving at advanced velocity the right time to react.
- On the road outside the built-up area: triangle is set at a distance from 30 to 50 meters behind the vehicle. It should be visible from a distance to incoming drivers.
- In the built-up area: triangle to be set just behind or on the vehicle, at a tallness of not more than 1 metre.
In addition, in each of these situations, the driver is required to turn on the vehicle emergency lights, if technically feasible. A peculiar case is towing – then the informing triangle should be placed on the rear side of the towed car. Remembering these simple principles not only protects against a ticket, but above all, it can save one’s wellness or life.
Fire extinguisher – second mandatory component that cannot be forgotten
Although most attention is paid to the triangle, 1 must not forget the second mandatory item of equipment – fire extinguishers. It must be in a readily accessible place so that in case of fire it can be utilized immediately. Burying it under a spare wheel or at the bottom loaded to the edges of the trunk is simply a mistake that may be challenged by a police officer.
Another crucial issue is its legalisation. Although the regulations do not require car owners to review the fire extinguisher annually, manufacturers urge it to keep its efficiency. Importantly, the fire extinguisher shall be of an ABC kind intended for extinguishing solids, liquids and gases and shall contain at least 1 kg of fire-extinguishing agent. The absence of a fire extinguisher or its incorrect location may consequence in a mandate of the same tallness as for a triangle — up to PLN 500.
Caring for mandatory equipment is not a bureaucratic invention, but the foundation of road safety. Both the triangle and the fire extinguisher are inexpensive objects whose possession and appropriate usage can prevent tragedy and defend us from severe financial penalties. It's worth a while to check their presence and condition in their car before a police officer does it for us during the inspection.
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The police have no mercy. Even 500 bucks a ticket for missing that small thing in the car
