From June 3, 2026 helmets will become an essential element for anyone under 16 years old who wishes to use so‑called personal transport devices, such as bicycles, scooters (including electric scooters), but also other devices like skateboards, rollerblades, inline skates or monocycles.
Fine for parents or guardians
Not wearing a helmet for a minor using a personal transport device will result in a fine of 100 PLN. Children will not receive the fine, but their parents or guardians - because the legislator states that the responsibility for ensuring safety lies with them. Using a helmet from June 3, 2026 is mandatory in many places, such as: bike paths, public roads, local and residential roads, parks, traffic zones, residential zones, and even sidewalks. This means that essentially everywhere - except perhaps your own yard - wearing a helmet for those under 16 becomes compulsory.
Until now helmet use in personal transport was not mandatory, but recommended, because it significantly increased safety during unforeseen events. Unfortunately, in some cases the consequences are tragic. The Polish Road Safety Observatory at the Automotive Institute reported in a prepared report that only in 2025 there were 384 accidents involving minors on bicycles under 17 years old in Poland. Twelve of these incidents were fatal. In 109 cases, injuries were severe. And that’s not the end of bad news. Even more unwanted incidents involved electric scooter users. There were 538 in the past year, of which 203 people were seriously injured, and 5 lost their lives as a result of such incidents.
Many changes also for drivers
June 3, 2026 is also the day many changes in road traffic came into force. Primarily concerning penalties for rule violations. From that day every speed limit violation over 50 km/h will result in 15 penalty points. These will still be cancelled after 12 months, but the deadline will no longer be counted from the moment the fine is issued, but from its payment.
It will also become significantly harder to reduce penalty points. This means that for some offenses it will be impossible. Until now, thanks to a course organized by the Provincial Road Traffic Office, it was possible to reduce penalty points by 6.
Now that possibility will still exist, but not for all violations. Points will not be reducible for certain particularly dangerous offenses, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, overtaking at a pedestrian crossing, or failing to yield to a pedestrian. Also driving against traffic on a motorway. The ministry has set a list of 51 violations for which point reduction will be impossible. The regulations will also introduce the possibility of faster loss of a driving licence. The decision to send a person to a test will be based on the date of exceeding the point limit, not the date the official letter was issued, as it is now. In practice, this means that a licence can be lost much faster.
These can also be lost for drifting or riding a motorcycle on one wheel. The legislator introduced such sanctions in March. This was another element of the fight against irresponsible drivers who behaved this way in public places. Earlier, in January, penalties for such violations also changed. It is a fine of 1500 PLN and 10 penalty points.
See also: Bat for drivers breaking rules. From June 3, higher fines and faster licence loss
