Driver awareness survey results: road pirates should pay more

Date: 5 July 2022

NINETY SIX PER CENT OF RESPONDENTS TO THE LATEST SURVEY BY THE POLISH CHAMBER OF INSURANCE CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE GOOD DRIVERS. ALMOST ONE IN THREE IS OF THE OPINION THAT EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT BY 30 KM/H IS NOT DANGEROUS. MEANWHILE, SPEEDING, RIGHT AFTER FORCING A PRIORITY, IS STILL ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS ON THE ROADS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE MAJORITY OF DRIVERS WHO CONSIDER SPEEDING TO BE SAFE AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT THAT THOSE WHO REGULARLY GET PENALTY POINTS SHOULD PAY MORE FOR THEIR THIRD PARTY INSURANCE.

The second edition of the PIU survey, carried out in May and June this year[1], shows that there has been little change in the image of Polish drivers in their eyes over the two years. The analysis shows that:

  • 96 per cent of those surveyed described themselves as good drivers, while 82 per cent said that when performing manoeuvres, they always assess the traffic situation faultlessly. In the previous survey, as many as 91 per cent said they did not make mistakes.
  • 59 per cent described their skills as higher than the average Polish driver.
  • More than half of those surveyed (52 per cent) said it was possible to drive fast and safely, down 3 b.p. from two years ago. 53 per cent felt that experienced drivers could drive at high speeds without causing accidents (down 2 b.p.).
  • Exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h in built-up areas is for 32 per cent of respondents 27 per cent said that exceeding the speed limit by 30 km/h in the city still guarantees safety – an increase of 4 b.p. compared to the previous survey.
  • As in 2020, the three most common offences of Polish drivers were: speeding in the city (18 per cent), talking on a hand-held phone (13 per cent) and speeding outside the city (12 per cent).

“According to Polish drivers, the statistical road pirate drives bravely and without imagination, which is confirmed by the results of our survey. We are still in the disgraceful lead of countries with the highest number of fatalities on the roads. Education, prevention and an appropriate level of punishment are essential to reduce the number of traffic accidents. The linking of the amount of the third party liability premium with fines and penalty points, which we have been striving for several years, may also be a factor disciplining road traffic recidivists,” says J. Grzegorz Prądzyński, President of the PIU management board.

DO WE DRIVE SLOWER AFTER THE INCREASE IN FINES?

According to the Police Headquarters, more than 22,800 road accidents were recorded in 2021, with more than 2,200 deaths and 26,000 injuries. However, the statistics still show that we are far from ‘vision zero’. Things that have improved the situation on the roads include the introduction of the principle of pedestrian priority at crossings and the standardisation of speed in built-up areas. The fine tariff has likewise changed. In this year’s edition of the PIU survey, 53 per cent of respondents were of the opinion that a fine of PLN 300 for exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h in a built-up area is a sufficient amount. By contrast, 24 per cent said it was too much. In 2020, before the changes were introduced, as many as 52 per cent of respondents answered that such an amount was too high. At the same time, the latest PIU survey indicates that according to 58 per cent of drivers, they drive slower after the increase in fines.

DRIVERS AGREE: THOSE WHO REGULARLY ACCUMULATE PENALTY POINTS SHOULD PAY MORE FOR THE TPO

Since 17 June, insurers have been able to access data on their customers’ fines and penalty points, which can have an impact on third-party liability premiums. “I am glad that after many years of our efforts, insurers have been given the opportunity to obtain more detailed knowledge about drivers from the CEK database. We hope that this mechanism will make it possible to effectively eliminate risky behaviour on the road, as road pirates will now feel the consequences of their reckless decisions in their wallets, and those who drive safely will pay relatively less for their policy. The PIU’s postulates were also supported by the respondents in the survey – as many as 83 per cent of them considered that drivers who regularly collect penalty points should pay a higher third party insurance premium,” says J. Grzegorz Prądzyński, President of the PIU management board.

Interestingly, drivers who consider speeding 30 km/h in built-up areas to be a definitely safe offence also share the opinion that those who regularly get penalty points should pay more for third-party insurance. Almost 81 per cent of those taking part in the survey agree.

CONDONING DANGEROUS BEHAVIOUR/h6>

The PIU survey shows that Polish drivers have a high tolerance for breaking the law. In exceptional situations, they are more willing to allow, among other things, the possibility of overtaking another passenger car “on the third” – an increase from 19 to 22 per cent of positive responses. They also approve of overtaking another passenger car directly in front of a pedestrian crossing – tolerance for this behaviour has risen from 16 to 19 per cent in two years.

[1]. The survey was carried out from 26 May to 6 June 2022 by the SW RESEARCH agency using the online interview method (CAWI) on a sample of 1,509 people.