Maintain your concentration while driving. Take breaks during a long trip

Every tenth accident on the Polish motorways is caused by the driver getting tired or falling asleep. What can be done to make our trip on a highway safe? We should make stops while traveling, listen to our body and plan our breaks. As part of the “Good Coffee for a Good Trip” campaign, you are invited to take an efficient break during which drivers will be able to have a free coffee in “Żabka” stores at Sosna and Gnilec Service Areas.

The motorway is one of the safest roads to travel. It has no grade level intersections, no pedestrian crossings; drivers in Poland have two or three lanes to drive on, the fencing along the road prevents the intrusion of animals that could cause a collision. However, it happens that a straight-line, collision-free, long drive makes drivers weary. If you drive on the motorway for hours without any breaks, often tired and in a hurry, you increase the danger of falling asleep at the wheel, which is very dangerous. That’s why it’s a good idea to take breaks on a long trip.

“Good Coffee for a Good Trip”

On Friday, September 1 and Saturday, September 2, drivers traveling on the concession section of the A2 motorway will be given coupons at the Tarnawa Toll Plaza entitling them to get a free coffee at “Żabka” stores at the Sosna and Gnilec Service Areas. This is part of a campaign held by Autostrada Wielkopolska and the Żabka Group to promote safe driving and maintaining concentration while driving.

Driving on the motorway requires not only additional skills but also the highest degree of concentration from the driver. Higher speeds, the number of kilometers traveled and the dynamics of driving require the driver’s full strength and constant focus. When you feel tired you should immediately pull over to the nearest Service Area and rest for a while. This is the only way to safely continue your trip. As part of a joint action with the Żabka Group, we invite drivers to take a break and enjoy a good cup of coffee,” says Anna Ciamciak, spokeswoman for the company Autostrada Wielkopolska S.A.

Drivers passing through the Tarnawa Toll Plaza (at ca. 22nd km of A2, direction Świecko) will be given coupons entitling them to get free coffee at the Sosna or Gnilec Service Areas The coupons will be valid until September 7 this year, so a driver who has not used the coupon on the way to Świecko, i.e. at the Gnilec Service Area, will be able to do so on their return trip, at the Sosna Service Area. The rules of the campaign are available at https://www.autostrada-a2.pl/dbamy-o-bezpieczenstwo-i-komfort-podrozy/

Tired drivers are one of the major causes of incidents on motorways

The statistics are ruthless: according to the Police data, out of 362 accidents that happened on Polish motorways in 2022, more than 40 were caused by drivers getting tired or falling asleep behind the wheel. This means that every tenth accident, on the average, could have been avoided had the driver taken care of taking a rest. Fatigue or falling asleep is, in addition to failure to adjust the speed to driving conditions and incorrect lane changing, one of the most common causes of accidents on motorways and expressways in Poland.

Experts advise stopping to rest every 2 hours or sooner whenever you feel tired. It just takes some exercise or a brief walk in the rest area to help you stay alert and swiftly react to any events that may happen during your trip.

Keep in mind that it is a mistake to consider refueling time a break in the journey. In fact, we don’t rest while refueling. Once we pull over to the gas station, after refueling, let’s drive away from the gas pump, park the car and take even a 5 minute break, walk around the car, do some squats or bends, drink some water and only then resume driving.

Choose your place to stop

It is not worthwhile waiting with the break until the last moment, because it may turn out we have just driven past the Service Area, with the next one a few dozen kilometers ahead.

In the 255 km stretch of the concession section managed by Autostrada Wielkopolska there are 22 Rest and Service Areas equipped, depending on their category, not only in toilets, picnic areas and children’s playgrounds, but also gas stations and restaurants. It would be worthwhile, prior to commencing the trip, to plan the route, but also to schedule the stops to take some rest. All it takes to choose the exact place for a stop, is to visit www.autostrada-a2.pl and pick the preferred location on the interactive map.