More than 6,000 drivers are in jail for traffic offences

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More than 6,300 people are serving sentences in Polish prisons for traffic offences with the vast majority of them being drunk drivers, a Prison Guard spokesperson has told PAP.

Of the 6,305 traffic offenders now behind bars, 4,845 drove their vehicles while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, Arleta Peconek told PAP on Monday.

Among the inmates, 926 caused an accident, including 841 who caused a fatality or grave injury. Eighty-five people caused an accident unintentionally and over 100 continued to drive even after their licences had been revoked.

Parliament recently passed stricter penalties for drunk driving, including the confiscation of the vehicle. The maximum prison sentence for a drunk driver was extended to 16 years from 12 years.

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