Poland in Sweden

The event brought together representatives of Polish institutions involved in road safety, including the Ministry of Infrastructure, the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways, the Road Transport Inspection, the Polish Motor Association, the Motor Transport Institute, the Road and Bridge Research Institute, Regional Traffic Centers, and Gdańsk University of Technology. The Swedish side was represented by, among others, officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing, the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket), Business Sweden, the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI), and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH).

In his speech, Minister Andreas Carlson recalled Sweden’s “Vision Zero,” adopted in 1997, which holds that no one should die in road accidents. Trafikverket Director General Roberto Maiorano and institute experts presented details of the strategy’s implementation, which reduced the number of road fatalities from 541 in 1997 to just over 200 in 2024. Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure,  Stanisław Bukowiec, emphasised that thanks to a consistent state policy primarily based on infrastructure investments, Poland has reduced the number of fatalities by over 45% over the past decade, marking one of the fastest improvements in road safety across the EU.

During the workshops, participants exchanged experiences in modern road design, safety during renovations and reconstructions, driver training, protection of road users in difficult weather conditions, and the safety of personal transport users. The presentations also showcased innovative technical solutions introduced by Swedish companies, including seat belts, rear-facing child seats, and modern road safety support systems.

The ministers held Polish-Swedish bilateral consultations addressing transport safety in the Baltic Sea region, including the protection of submarine cables and the “shadow fleet.” They also discussed opportunities for cooperation within the European Union, including the EU–UA road agreement, financing military mobility projects, critical infrastructure protection, counter-drone systems, and collaboration within the International Transport Forum (ITF).

The workshops were accompanied by a study visit to the driver examination center in Gillinge, where participants could test their driving skills on a skid pad (Swedish: Halkbana) - a mandatory part of Swedish driver training.