Author: Aleksandra Socha, Kozminski University

Every year people gather, from every distant corners of Poland, on cemeteries to celebrate All Saints’ Day.  During the arrangements such as buying bunches or candles, people for unknown reason forget about rational thinking. What is ironic about that high day is the fact that Poles visit the graves of their close relatives and because of thoughtless behavior they strive for joining all deceased. Writing a “thoughtless behavior” I meant drinking alcohol before driving a car or even wrong appraising our driving skills.

First recapitulation and statistics of the weekend were horrifying. The number of car accidents until 14 o’clock amounted 71. Eight people died on the spot and 75 stayed wounded. Police officers arrested over 240 drivers in drunken state. The action called “ Znicz 2014” carried by public services aims preservation of safety on the road. However, purposive appeals to be careful and resign from reckless driving meet with failure. All stipulated punishments like huge fines or imprisonment don’t impress anybody. “After all, one beer or glass of wine is not an alcohol” – more than one average Polish citizen would say. Such interpreting just leads to tragic accidents in which usually die the innocent.

In celebrating All Saints’ Day it is almost impossible not to travel but simultaneously it is also difficult to move anywhere in full awareness of the risk that we can become a victim because of somebody’s vacuity.

Is there any solution to reduce the amount of accidents caused by drunk drivers? What kind of social campaigns may have the biggest influence on receivers ? Answering these questions seems to be unattainable but I hope that someday people will come to their senses. 

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