Police are undertaking a country-wide effort to assure that all travellers throughout the long weekend of All Saints' Day get to their destination safely.
Police are afraid that on Monday as well as Tuesday, celebrated as All Souls' Day when many people are expected to return home, the country will see a spike in road accidents.
In the last 24 hours, 10 people have been killed and 77 injured in over 60 road accidents across Poland, the Police said on Monday morning. 343 drunk drivers have been detained as part of 'Operation Torch', it added.
Officers are appealing to drivers to leave in good time if setting out on a long route and to keep their speed down.
Police are also urging citizens to wear face masks to exercise special caution to safeguard against infection.“Face covering outdoors is not mandatory but recommended by us. When at a crowded cemetery with strangers, please cover your mouth and nose, preferably with a mask,” spokesman for Poland's National Police Headquarters Mariusz Ciarka said on Monday.
The biggest cemeteries in major cities are crowded and roads leading to them congested with traffic.
Millions of people travel around the country to visit the graves of loved ones in a tradition that dates back centuries. The weather conditions in early November in Poland - early darkness, changing weather conditions plus people driving to cemetaries in droves, all this causes a high number of accidents year in year out.
(mo)
Source: IAR, PAP