Police Issue Fines for Dangerous Fuel Transport and Riding on Car Doors

Due to drivers' fears of further price hikes, police are intensifying checks at fuel stations, targeting the practice of illegal 'stockpiling' refueling. During such operations, officers impose fines reaching up to 3,000 złoty for improper transport of fuels in jerrycans. The legal basis is the implementation into Polish law of the international ADR agreement. This regulation strictly defines the conditions that must be met for transport outside the vehicle's tank to be legal. The history of regulating the transport of dangerous materials dates back to the mid-20th century. After a series of catastrophic accidents, the international community under the auspices of the United Nations developed the ADR Agreement in 1957. Its goal was to establish uniform, rigorous safety standards to prevent tragedies. Poland, as an important transit country, ratified this agreement in 1975, incorporating its principles into the national legal order primarily through the Road Traffic Law and regulations of the minister responsible for transport. According to the regulations, without a special permit, transport of up to 25 liters of gasoline or up to 50 liters of diesel is permitted. However, proper securing of such cargo is crucial. The fuel must be in jerrycans intended for this purpose, which are tightly closed and immobilized in the vehicle to prevent movement during travel. Particular attention is paid to transport in the trunks of passenger cars that are not separated from the passenger compartment by a solid, impermeable partition. Additionally, filling a jerrycan with the vehicle's engine running is strictly prohibited, minimizing the risk of ignition of flammable vapors. In case of doubt, the driver is obligated to prove that the transported substance is indeed fuel and not another, potentially more dangerous material. 25 l / 50 l — permissible limit without a permit The intensified police checks are not limited to fuel stations. In Nysa, during one routine road check, officers uncovered an extremely dangerous behavior by a 19-year-old passenger. The woman was traveling while sitting on the open door of a car, with her legs sticking out of the vehicle. Such conduct poses a direct, serious threat to the life and health of both the passenger and other road users. As a result of this check, the driver of the vehicle and drivers of other stopped cars received a total of five fines. The described police interventions are a response to a noticeable increase in attempts to illegally transport larger quantities of fuel and other blatant safety violations. These actions are part of a broader preventive campaign aimed at educating drivers and reducing the number of accidents caused by recklessness. Cases such as riding on car doors show that despite numerous information campaigns, some road users still disregard basic safety rules, endangering themselves and others. Police announce further, regular checks both regarding compliance with regulations on the transport of dangerous materials and other common offenses.