Analysis of road accidents in 2002–2019 on the example of Poland

The article presents a general description of the safety problem in Polish road transport in the years 2002-2019. The number of road accidents was analyzed in detail, taking into account the division into side, front and rear collisions and the dynamics of their changes. The article contains information on the dynamics of changes registered in passenger vehicles and trucks in Poland in the years 2000-2018. Moreover, the number of fatalities in road accidents in the years 2002-2019 was presented, taking into account the type of collision. The forecasts of changes in the number of road accidents and rear collisions presented in the article show the downward trend for the years 2020-2030 of frontal collisions. An inconspicuous rear collision by not braking a speeding vehicle carries a high risk of damage to the upper cervical spine. As a result of such a collision, even at a low speed of 20 km/h, they can cause irreversible health effects, which lead to permanent disability.