Revolution in Road Regulations, New ATM Limits, and Breakthrough in Krakow

The turn of February and March 2026 brings a culmination of legal changes that will affect the daily lives of millions of Poles. The most noticeable modifications concern road traffic law. From March 3rd, regulations introducing stricter penalties for young drivers and new restrictions for underage users of electric scooters come into effect. The changes also include the possibility of suspending a driver's license for exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h outside built-up areas, which constitutes a significant expansion of the police's previous powers. Uniformed services are also launching a nationwide campaign "Hands on the Wheel," focusing on eliminating the practice of using mobile phones while driving without hands-free kits. At the same time, the banking sector is undergoing a transformation regarding access to cash. The largest operators of independent ATM networks, such as Euronet and Planet Cash, are implementing new, more restrictive limits on single withdrawals. These changes coincide with planned modernization works in Poland's largest banks, including PKO BP and ING Bank Śląski. Customers of these institutions must prepare for temporary interruptions in access to electronic banking, inability to make card payments, and lack of access to cash withdrawals during specific night and morning hours. Some services suggest using alternative methods, such as cash withdrawals in retail networks, to avoid problems with transaction limits. For years, Poland has struggled with high statistics of road accidents involving newly licensed drivers, which prompted lawmakers to successively tighten the criteria for obtaining and maintaining driving licenses. In the area of transport infrastructure, the key news is the issuance by the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Krakow of a document, which is the environmental decision for the construction of a new runway at Kraków Airport. This is a historic moment for Poland's second-largest airport, which has been struggling for years with the technical limitations of the old runway. The new investment, estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of zlotys, will allow for handling larger aircraft and stabilizing air traffic in Lesser Poland, although the investment process still raises controversies among some local communities concerned about increased noise levels near Balice. „To historyczna chwila, na którą czekaliśmy wiele lat i która determinuje rozwój lotniska na dekady.” (This is a historic moment we have been waiting for many years and which determines the airport's development for decades.) — Spokesperson for Kraków Airport In the tax sphere, Polish tax residents are already benefiting from simplifications within the Your e-PIT service. The tax administration has made tax returns available, which is intended to minimize the risk of errors when settling taxes for the previous year. The e-Tax Office system is becoming the main communication channel with the tax authorities, offering automation of processes that in the past required personal visits to offices, fitting into the progressing digitalization of Polish public administration.

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize the convenience of tax digitalization and the modernity of the airport, overlooking the difficulties of local residents. Conservative media focus on restrictions for drivers and ATM limits as burdens for citizens.