Pedestrian crossings in Poland: priority, phones, 50 km/h and fines
Short answer: In Poland a pedestrian on or entering a marked crossing has priority over vehicles (not trams) since 1 June 2021. Drivers must slow down and give way.
Anyone who walks or drives in Poland should know one rule well: pedestrians who are on a marked crossing, or stepping onto one, have priority over vehicles. The rule changed in June 2021 and many drivers from other countries are surprised by it. This guide follows the amending act (Dz.U. 2021 item 463) on the Sejm's legal database, the roads agency GDDKiA page on the changes and Police news from 20 May 2021 and from Olsztyn, as checked on 17 October 2026.
What changed on 1 June 2021
According to the amending act of 25 February 2021, which entered into force on 1 June 2021:
- A pedestrian who is on a pedestrian crossing has priority over a vehicle. A pedestrian who is entering the crossing also has priority over a vehicle, with the exception of trams.
- A driver approaching a crossing must take special care, slow down so as not to endanger a pedestrian on the crossing or entering it, and give way to that pedestrian.
GDDKiA explains that before the change, the Road Traffic Act required drivers to give way to a pedestrian already on the crossing, and the duty to reduce speed came from a separate regulation on road signs. Now the Act itself covers speed reduction and priority for pedestrians who are entering the crossing. The extended priority for pedestrians entering the crossing does not apply to trams.
What pedestrians must do
The amended article 13 says a pedestrian entering or crossing the roadway or tram tracks must take special care and, with some exceptions, use the pedestrian crossing. GDDKiA adds that the Act now bans pedestrians from using mobile phones and other devices that impair perception, especially sight, when entering or crossing the roadway or tracks, including on marked crossings. That is done by adding to article 14 of the Act, which lists bans for pedestrians.
So priority is not a licence to step out without looking. The law asks pedestrians for special care as well.
* Photos: pedestrian crossings in Warsaw and Braniewo, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
Speed in built-up areas
The same 2021 reform set one speed limit in built-up areas, 50 km/h, day and night, according to GDDKiA. The agency says the aim was mainly pedestrian safety, citing research that the difference between 50 and 60 km/h matters for braking distance and the outcome of a crash. The change also set a clear minimum distance between vehicles on motorways and expressways.
What is a fine for not giving way
A Police news item from Olsztyn reports a driver who did not give way to a pedestrian entering a marked crossing and received a 1,500 zloty ticket. The item says higher ticket amounts for selected offences had applied since 1 January of that year, and the page is undated in the version we saw. Treat 1,500 zloty as the amount reported in that case, and check the current traffic fines tariff before you rely on it. The official gov.pl tariff table we looked at also lists a range of fines for parking within 10 metres in front of a crossing, 100 to 300 zloty.
Cyclists and scooters
The tariff table lists separate offences for cyclists and users of personal transport devices on pavements: they must move at a speed close to that of a pedestrian, give way to pedestrians and not obstruct them.
Practical tips for expats
- If you drive in Poland on a foreign licence, treat every marked crossing as a place where you may need to stop, not just slow.
- Slow down well before the crossing and look at the pavement edge, because a pedestrian who is only stepping onto it already has priority.
- If you are the pedestrian, do not look at your phone while stepping onto the road.
- Trams are the exception for the "entering" priority, so be careful near tram tracks.
What this guide does not cover
We did not find the full current tariff amounts for each priority offence in a dated official source, and the exact exceptions to the duty to use a crossing in article 13 are in the act itself. For a particular case, such as a signal-controlled crossing, read the act or ask the Police.
Frequently asked questions
Do pedestrians have priority when they are about to step onto a zebra crossing?
Yes. Since 1 June 2021, a pedestrian entering the crossing has priority over a vehicle, except a tram, according to the amending act and GDDKiA.
Can pedestrians use their phones when crossing?
No. GDDKiA says the Act now bans pedestrians from using mobile phones and similar devices that impair perception while entering or crossing the roadway or tracks, including at marked crossings.
What is the speed limit in built-up areas at night?
50 km/h, the same as in the day, since the 2021 change, according to GDDKiA.
