On March 3, 2026, key amendments to the Highway Code came into force, significantly tightening sanctions for irresponsible drivers. The changes include, among others, streamlining the procedure for license suspension, the removal of the D-43 sign outside cities, and the introduction of the possibility for seventeen-year-olds to obtain a driving license. Simultaneously, the police are conducting a nationwide operation "Hands on the Wheel," targeting individuals repeatedly using mobile phones while driving.
New driving license rules
Introduction of driving privileges from age 17 and stricter rules for suspending documents for speeding and repeat offenses.
Hands on the Wheel operation
Massive police checks focused on drivers using mobile phones; risk of license suspension.
Removal of the D-43 sign
As of March 3, the old sign marking the end of a built-up area is no longer valid outside cities.
Mandatory equipment 2026
New technical requirements for newly registered vehicles approved by the President.
The beginning of March 2026 brings fundamental changes to the Polish road traffic system. The most important novelty is the implementation of regulations enabling the obtaining of a category B driving license after turning 17 years old, which is intended to facilitate mobility for young people, while maintaining strict requirements regarding the presence of an adult passenger. At the same time, the legislature decided to toughen penalties for the most serious offenses. From today, it is easier to lose driving privileges for gross speeding and driving under the influence of intoxicants. With the new regulations, the D-43 road sign no longer protects drivers from losing their licenses outside built-up areas. From now on, exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h on a single-carriageway road section beyond this sign results in the immediate suspension of the driving license for 3 months. Drivers must also pay attention to new mandatory equipment for vehicles registered in 2026. The Ministry of National Education, in cooperation with the infrastructure ministry, is withdrawing from some previous training programs, labeling them as "madness," heralding a change in the education model for future drivers and students. The Polish system for penalizing drivers has undergone a profound evolution since 2022, when financial fines were first significantly increased, aiming for safety standards known from Scandinavian countries. Legislative actions go hand in hand with intensive operational activity by the services. The police inaugurated a nationwide operation under the codename "Hands on the Wheel," aimed at eliminating the practice of using smartphones without hands-free kits. According to the new regulations, gross speeding exceeding 50 km/h on single-carriageway roads outside built-up areas results in the suspension of the driving license for 3 months. In the case of repeat offenses with other traffic violations, drivers must expect double the rates of financial fines. On the very first day the changes were in effect, numerous cases of reckless escapes from controls were recorded, including an incident near Jarosław, where a drunk driver rolled his car on a private property. „Nie będzie taryfy ulgowej.” (There will be no leniency.) — Police Representative Beyond road aspects, Polish police have achieved successes in the fight against organized crime and common fraud. "Shadow Hunters" detained a man wanted under a European Arrest Warrant, who had been hiding from justice for 16 years. The services also dismantled groups involved in distributing psychoactive substances, including novel forms of drugs in the shape of THC-infused gummies.