An exhausted driver of a 40-tonne fuel tanker on the road? The government has just given the green light!

In the face of record forecourt prices, which could imminently reach 8 zł gross per litre, Polish authorities have decided on a drastic step. The wholesale net price of diesel has already breached the 6,300 zł per m³ barrier (Orlen data from 7 March 2026), sparking panic and mass stockpiling by the public. The result? Enormous queues at distribution centres and an official relaxation of working-time rules for drivers carrying out domestic fuel deliveries.

From 6 March to 2 April 2026, road safety must give way to logistics. The new, controversial regulations for drivers holding an ADR certificate provide for:

🚀 Extension of daily driving time: to a maximum of 11 hours.

📈 Increase in the weekly driving limit: to a formidable 60 hours.

⏳ Later breaks: the option to take a rest of at least 45 minutes only after 5.5 hours behind the wheel.

🛌 Rest on the road: permission to take a regular weekly rest period in the vehicle (while stationary and with a sleeping facility).

Drivers must document these derogations manually on the reverse of their record sheet or a printout from the digital tachograph, stating the reasons for using these exceptions. Although the government justifies this as a necessity to unblock deliveries in the context of the war in Iran, the entire situation seems absurd. Throughout the year we hear about strict inspections and fines of tens of thousands of złoty for minor breaches of working-time rules, which are supposedly a deadly hazard. Yet now, when the transport of flammable dangerous goods is at stake, driver fatigue suddenly ceases to be a problem. 🚨