Teenage scooter rider seriously injured in collision with car on national road 12 in Kościelna Wieś

Collision on National Road 12

On the night of Saturday, 22 August 2026, emergency crews responded to a collision between an electric scooter and a passenger car on national road 12 in Kościelna Wieś, located in Pleszew County in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The incident took place at approximately 22:15 on a straight stretch of the roadway connecting the city of Kalisz with Pleszew. A 17-year-old resident of Pleszew County was driving an Opel passenger vehicle along the route while traveling in the company of his parents. Monika Lis-Rybarczyk from the Pleszew County Police Command described the initial observations made by the motorist prior to the impact.

According to preliminary police findings, a 17-year-old resident of Pleszew County driving an Opel passenger car was traveling from Kalisz toward Pleszew. On a straight stretch of road, he noticed a person riding an electric scooter moving in the same direction.

Vehicle conditions and licensing

Police testing confirmed that the 17-year-old Opel driver was completely sober at the wheel and held a valid driving licence. Under Polish regulations enacted on 3 March 2026, individuals can obtain a standard category B driving licence upon turning 17 years old. In contrast, the electric scooter lacked basic safety features and visibility equipment at the time of the nighttime crash. Officers noted that the scooter did not have any reflective components or operational lights switched on, and the rider was traveling without a protective helmet. As the trailing car closed the distance between the two vehicles, the scooter changed course without warning.

As the car was approaching the scooter, its rider, for reasons not yet established, suddenly steered toward the roadway directly under the oncoming vehicle.

Casualties and differing age reports

The impact caused severe trauma to the scooter rider, who was thrown onto the road. First responders found the victim unconscious at the scene before medical personnel stabilized and transported him to a nearby hospital in serious condition. Discrepancies emerged in the initial descriptions provided by different emergency services regarding the rider's age. Police reports documented the victim as a 16-year-old youth, while the duty officer for the Greater Poland fire service initially recorded the patient as a 15-year-old, and regional reports also cited a 17-year-old. Four fire brigade crews were deployed to manage the collision site alongside medical and law enforcement personnel.

Emergency response and traffic clearance

The collision led to a complete blockage of national road 12 through Kościelna Wieś starting at 22:15 on Saturday evening. Emergency responders cordoned off the route to carry out medical aid, secure evidence, and remove debris from the carriageway. Fire service operations at the crash site concluded around 01:00 on Sunday, 23 August 2026. The Road Information Point of the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways confirmed that all traffic disruptions along the DK12 section ended shortly after 02:00. Officers from the Pleszew County Police Command remain engaged in determining the exact factors that caused the turn into traffic.