Pupils from five provinces already have winter holidays. As every year, at that time, the police and inspectors of the Main Inspectorate of Road Transport are inspecting coaches carrying children to rest. They implemented as part of the “Safe holidays 2019”.
“The most important in connection with the beginning of winter holidays are safe to access to the place of rest of children and young people and all those who accompany them,” said Minister of Infrastructure Andrzej Adamczyk on Saturday.
On Saturday, in the parking lot at 7 national roads, the Minister of Infrastructure and the Chief Inspector of Road Transport participated in the control of coaches starting this year’s campaign “Safe holidays 2019”.
From Saturday to January 27, there will be holidays for students from the following provinces: Pomeranian, Lesser Poland, and Greater Poland.
The minister reminded that the 16th Road Transport Inspectorate, apart from the normal activities on national roads, pays particular attention to the safety of children who are going on vacations and holidays.
“Checks are not aimed at restrictive action on drivers and bus owners. The aim is to ensure that the buses are in a proper technical condition, do not pose a threat to other road users, especially to passengers whom they are transporting,” Minister Adamczyk emphasized.
“It is important that the drivers who manage these buses meet all the standards have the appropriate qualifications, certificates, not overtired, which is extremely important and they were in an absolute state of sobriety,” he stressed.
Minister Adamczyk added that today entrepreneurs already know that no bus, which children and young people go to wintering grounds and return from them cannot have faults.
“Parents who send their children to rest should be sure that they will be safely and safely return from this rest,” emphasized Adamczyk. Chief Inspector of Road Transport, Alvin, said that inspectors will control coaches until the last days of holidays in all provinces.
He added that parents who want the vehicle to be checked should contact the Provincial Road Transport Inspectorate in advance.
Buses will also be controlled in holiday resorts. ITD inspectors throughout the winter holidays will check, among others technical condition of vehicles braking and steering system, their correct lighting, tires.
A year ago, during the holidays, the Road Transport Inspection inspected 1,300 vehicles, 53 registration documents were stopped, 21 coaches (about 1.6%) were in a very bad technical condition and a driving ban was issued. All drivers were sober. Inspectors imposed 296 criminal penalties.
Alvin reminded that drivers should be rested and respect the permissible working time, and if they are going on a long route, have an alternate. Daily, the driver can drive a maximum of 10 hours twice a week, on the other days of 9 hours, and after 4.5 hours of continuous driving should take a minimum of 45 minutes break.
Małopolskie Province Governor Pieter Wick said that in 1300 facilities in Małopolskie, children and youth from all over the country will be resting. He appealed recalling the recent tragedy in the escape room so that the guardians and parents would pay attention to how they spend their children’s time.
The Deputy Marshal of the voivodeship, Lukasz Smock, said that the advantages of Małopolskie make everyone go towards the winter capital – Zakopane. “Resorts, Highlanders are prepared to receive guests, young people, tourists, and the slopes are snowed,” said Smock.
Adamczyk appealed to entrepreneurs dealing with transport, drivers and all persons who go on an individual vacation: do not hurry, let’s drive safely, equip the cars with car seats and everything necessary to transport children, keep the sense on the road.
On Saturday morning, the Minister of Infrastructure was handed over to all drivers who had no control, handed a plush crocodile – an ITD mascot, and the children received reflective vests, armbands with reflective materials, and scarves.