School areaPoland

An introduction to the traffic rules and road signs of Poland. Learn about driving, road safety and much more in our illustrated book, with answers to frequently asked questions.

For informational purposes only. Always follow official regulations. Some content and images were created with AI assistance.


34. School area

A school area is a road or group of roads near a school where large numbers of children may walk, cycle, cross the road or enter and leave vehicles. It may be identified by warning signs, zone signs, road markings, traffic-calming measures or flashing lights.

Special speed limits, parking restrictions or access rules may apply permanently or only during school arrival and departure times. Drivers should reduce speed, watch carefully for children and be prepared to stop.

School warning sign in Przerzeczyn-Zdrój. (Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland)
Wikimedia.org • Aktron • CC BY
What speed rules apply around schools in Poland?

A school or children-warning sign does not itself impose one special nationwide school speed limit; obey any accompanying or zonal speed restriction.

🔗 eli.gov.pl • Poland, Road Traffic Law — articles 3, 19–20, 23–24, 49; Signs 3–12

🔗 eli.gov.pl • Poland, traffic signs and signals — 2019/2310 consolidation, read with subsequent amendments

Warning for children. Warning for children.

English • Traffic sign A-17 • Children. Sign A-17 warns of a place on or near the road particularly frequented by children.

Polski • A-17 • dzieci. Znak A-17 „dzieci” ostrzega o miejscu na drodze szczególnie uczęszczanym przez dzieci lub o bliskości takiego miejsca.

Sources

🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Eli.gov.pl • § 8 ust. 2

SVG source: Commons.wikimedia.org • Original SVG
Paweł Grzywocz • Public domain • Original revision 2025-10-07. Wikimedia original unmodified.

Artwork reviewed against the Polish official sign catalogue, Dz.U. 2019 poz. 2310: Eli.gov.pl • A-17, PDF page 41, with amendments 2021/433, 2021/2065, 2022/2372 and 2026/133 checked. Catalogue-equivalent illustration; intentional update from the previous PNG. This is an educational illustration, not a manufacturing specification.

Does a school warning sign in Poland automatically set the speed limit?

A children or school warning alerts you to a potential hazard; the enforceable numerical speed limit depends on the applicable law, regulatory signs and any time or variable display. Slow further if children are near the road.

🔗 eli.gov.pl • Poland, Road Traffic Law — articles 3, 19–20, 23–24, 49; Signs 3–12

🔗 eli.gov.pl • Poland, traffic signs and signals — 2019/2310 consolidation, read with subsequent amendments

How should you pass a school entrance in Poland?

Watch for children stepping out from between parked vehicles, obey crossings and any school patrol, and follow stopping or parking restrictions. Do not obstruct visibility near a crossing or school entrance; approach at a speed that permits a safe stop.

🔗 eli.gov.pl • Poland, Road Traffic Law — articles 3, 19–20, 23–24, 49; Signs 3–12

🔗 eli.gov.pl • Poland, traffic signs and signals — 2019/2310 consolidation, read with subsequent amendments

1 Poland 2 Motorway 3 Expressway 4 Residential area 5 Built-up area 6 Zone 7 Speed limit 8 Footpath 9 Bike path 10 Shared-use path 11 Separated path 12 Pedestrian warning 13 Tunnel 14 Speed bump 15 Toll road 16 Customs 17 One-way traffic 18 Quay 19 Slope 20 Bus lane 21 Bus stop 22 Dead end 23 Stop sign 24 Give way 25 Roundabout 26 Priority road 27 Road narrowing 28 Priority over oncoming traffic 29 Give way to oncoming traffic 30 Pedestrian crossing 31 Railway crossing 32 Mandatory direction 33 Turn prohibition 34 School area 35 Overtaking 36 Crossing animals 37 Curve 38 Chevron 39 Wrong-way driving 40 Roadworks 41 Height limit 42 Weight limit 43 Radar speed sign 44 Priority at the next junction 45 Traffic lights 46 Traffic lights warning 47 Pedestrian lights 48 Road markings 49 Junction layout 50 Driving licence 51 Traffic mirror 52 International border 53 Pedestrian underpass 54 Cycling route 55 Parking 56 No parking 57 No stopping 58 Park and ride 59 Kiss and ride 60 Disabled parking 61 Traffic management 62 Merging 63 Reversing 64 U-turn 65 Road surface 66 Provisional licence 67 Hazardous cargo 68 Radio service 69 Tourist attraction 70 Horn 71 Licence plate 72 Charging station 73 Dangers 74 Rail safety 75 Pedestrian 76 Cyclist 77 Car 78 Truck 79 Bus 80 Police 81 Ambulance 82 Taxi 83 European emission standard 84 Public road 85 Pothole 86 Private property 87 Path 88 Particulates 89 Air pollution 90 Rush hour 91 Road code 92 Two-way traffic 93 Street gutter 94 Cargo bike 95 Forestry vehicle 96 Construction vehicle 97 Semi-trailer truck 98 Trolleybus 99 Speed pedelec 100 Delivery vehicle ...