Polish warning from judge

Judge calls on Poles to stop drink-driving

Anton McNulty

A DISTRICT Court judge has called on representatives from the Polish community to spell out the dangers and the consequences of drink-driving before the issue gets out of control.
Judge Mary Devins made her comments last week at a sitting of Achill District Court where three Polish men were charged with separate offences of driving without insurance and drink-driving.
Mr Reny Kolinski of St Fionnan’s Road, Achill Sound was disqualified from driving for two years and fined €2,150 after he was arrested for drink-driving and driving without tax and insurance on August 19 last and for driving without insurance on January 27 last. On November 5 last, Mr Mr Marcin Zamolski of 2 Waterstone, Foxford Road, Ballina was detected driving a friend’s car without insurance and was fined €550. Mr Lukasz Kiwak of Slievemore Road, Keel was disqualified for two years and fined €1,100 after he pleaded guilty to drink-driving.
Judge Devins said that the number of Polish nationals in particular coming before the court for road traffic offences was increasing all the time and preventative measures need to be put in place before the matter escalates.
“In a list of ten cases, three were road traffic involving Polish nationals and I am noticing the same thing in Ballina court. It is something that has to be looked at because the amount of foreign nationals coming before the court for drink-driving or having no insurance is more common. It is largely Polish people and someone from their community has to organise something to make them understand the road traffic laws and the seriousness of it. The number is increasing and it would better if the matter was prevented rather than it escalating and causing serious accidents,” she said.
However, a court translator told The Mayo News that foreign nationals know it is illegal to drink and drive and drive without insurance, but felt more information should be made available in their native language. Mr Gintarius Petkus, who is organising a Road Safety Seminar aimed at foreign nationals in Longford, on April 25, explained that there was still a culture of drink-driving in countries like Poland and that many feel they can get away with it.
“This is a problem among eastern Europeans but there has to be more information translated in their language to explain the issues. The situation regarding insurance is a big issue because many people do not know that they can transfer their old insurance onto their new car and that they can receive discounts. Education and enforcement is the key but there also needs to be a change in attitude among the drivers. In many countries in eastern Europe, there is a culture of buying off the police and some think they can do it here. They feel they can get away with it and I would appeal to the different embassies to get information translated to help change that attitude,” he said.