The massive tie-up underlines the disastrous state of Poland's road and bridge network, which is foreseen as playing a crucial role in an eventual united Europe. In all of Central and Eastern Europe, probably only Romania's roads are as bad as Poland's, and only Albania's are worse. According to more recent figures, only 20 percent of Poland's roads are in satisfactory or good condition, while 80 percent are in unsatisfactory or bad condition. Long-distance Polish truck driver Bernard Oltarzewski says it's so difficult to drive on Polish roads that he considers himself a stuntman rather than a driver. Because Poland has only 257 kilometers of highways, local roads also serve as national and international transit routes.
Drunk pedestrians are another hazard on country roads.
Drivers, frustrated by the slow pace, make up for delays every chance they get by pushing the pedal to the floor and slaloming in and out among the slower vehicles. Austrian long-distance truck driver Manfred Krop makes the stressful drive through Poland twice a week. The traffic is very difficult. Drivers of small Polish Fiats are the worst. They drive for a long time in the left lane before they turn left.