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Poland has a poor reputation when it comes to getting behind the wheel. But moves are afoot to change that
Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson once suggested the real Lech Walesa stood up to the Soviet Union was not because he wanted to free his land from the shackles of communism, but because he wanted a new car.
These days, Poles no longer have to wait years to buy a standard-issue Polski Fiat, but they are still worse than average drivers. A survey in 2009 found there were 12 deaths on Polish roads for every 100,000 inhabitants, compared with 3.8 in the UK, which has more cars and roads, but no worse than Greece which had 13.8 in 2008.
One suggestion for safety record could be an increasing number of Poles are apparently crossing the border into the Czech Republic and Ukraine and taking the much easier test there. A short trip to Ukraine, taking in both a few driving lessons and a test costs between 1,000 and 2,000 zlotys (about £200-£400), according to one report, far cheaper than in Poland.
The Catholic church is so worried about the state of the roads that on Sunday it invited believers to pray for the safety of drivers across Poland. The church has also organised a two-day retreat for drivers where they can reflect upon their attitude when they get behind a wheel.
"Many of us behave like pagans when we're driving," said Father Marian Midura, the organiser of the prayer day, which has the blessing of the national police.
"Even though we hang rosaries, carry images of saints and have the early Christian sign of the fish on our cars we do not respect other drivers."
