51-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed by Speeding Car on Piłsudskiego Avenue

The fatal collision occurred on Józef Piłsudskiego Avenue near the location known locally as the “Wild Roundabout,” involving a Volkswagen Passat that witnesses and local transit safety reports described as speeding past another vehicle stopped at the crosswalk.

Fatal Impact on Piłsudskiego Avenue

The victim was crossing the multi-lane road on a marked crosswalk after a driver on the right-hand lane had stopped to give him the right of way. Footage recorded by witnesses and cited by brd24.pl and PolsatNews.pl shows a Volkswagen Passat traveling at high speed on the left lane, passing the stopped vehicle, and hitting the pedestrian with immense force. The 51-year-old died at the scene. Emergency services, including firefighters, police, a prosecutor, and a traffic accident expert, responded to the site, temporarily blocking traffic and forcing vehicles to move alternately in a single lane, as detailed by DTS24.pl.

Police Test Driver for Psychoactive Substances

Asp. Anna Zbroja-Zagórska of the Małopolska Police stated that the driver of the Volkswagen was sober at the time of the collision. Police authorities confirmed that blood samples from the driver will undergo further laboratory screening to check for the presence of psychoactive substances. Investigators are currently examining whether the driver attempted any braking maneuvers before the impact and are reviewing the full sequence of events leading up to the crash.

Experts and Officials Debate Road Safety Rules

Road safety experts and local figures have engaged in public discourse following the release of the footage. Łukasz Zboralski, a road safety expert cited by PolsatNews.pl, characterized the collision as “road murder.” At the same time, local municipal official Lesk Gieniec posted comments on social media discussing pedestrian right-of-way rules and the legal prohibition against pedestrians entering a crosswalk directly in front of an oncoming vehicle. Those remarks drew considerable public criticism and reactions from commentators who noted that the victim had been visible on the crossing well before the vehicle reached him.