In Radom, on November 3, 2026, the preventive-educational campaign “That’s Not Me” was inaugurated. The event took place at the Oskar Kolberg Music School and is primarily aimed at high school students. The goal of the initiative, prepared by the Road Traffic Division of the Radom Provincial Police Headquarters and the Mazovian Provincial Road Authority, is to make young people aware of the scale of consequences stemming from irresponsible decisions made behind the wheel. The entire project plans a total of nine meetings, four of which remain for participants in the region.
Testimonies that open eyes
It was not theoretical lectures that were intended to change the perception of young drivers, but authentic accounts from people affected by road tragedies. One such person was Emilia, who was 18 years old at the time of the accident. As a young woman with a short driving record, she suffered a spinal cord fracture in a road traffic incident near Mszczonów. The diagnosis meant a perspective of losing physical mobility for her. Emilia spoke about the fight to regain independence and how a single moment of inattention or recklessness can change life forever.
The second witness was a woman who lost her fiancé a few years ago. The 35-year-old man died under the wheels of a train. The partner described the daily process of coping with grief, taking over the deceased’s responsibilities, and the change in life perspective brought by the sudden loss of a loved one. She pointed out that the consequences of accidents do not end at the scene of the incident but remain with families for a lifetime.
The third voice belonged to a man who is himself the perpetrator of a tragic accident eight years ago. In the Siedlce county area, driving a Mercedes under the influence of alcohol, he hit the rear of a Ford occupied by a 41-year-old woman. She died at the scene. The perpetrator, who has been serving a prison sentence since then, emphasized that there is no justification for recklessness and drinking alcohol before driving. He drew attention to the long-term legal and personal consequences that befell his family.
Expert and statistics
An important element of the meeting was the analytical and expert part. Transport psychologist Małgorzata Czarnota explained the psychological mechanisms that influence drivers' decisions. She pointed to the role of emotions, social pressure, and excessive self-confidence as risk factors. Attorney Sylwia Wiśniewska, on the other hand, focused on the legal aspect, explaining to the youth the scale of criminal liability for road traffic violations.
The Deputy Commander of the Provincial Police, Inspector Jerzy Sztuc, presented safety data. According to him, 1,660 people died on Polish roads last year, of which 187 victims are from the Mazovian garrison. These figures are intended to serve as a warning that behind every statistical indicator lies a specific human tragedy.
Simulators and practice
In addition to lectures, participants had the opportunity to use educational devices. Thanks to cooperation with the Provincial Road Traffic Center in Radom and Jastrząb Circuit, a driving simulator, a rollover and collision simulator were organized. Additionally, an airbag simulator and an overload scale were available, allowing youth to physically feel the forces acting on the human body during sudden maneuvers and collisions.
Medical rescuers from the Radom Rescue Station also participated in the event, demonstrating from their own experiences what assistance to victims looks like immediately after an accident. The Director of the Mazovian Provincial Road Authority, Grzegorz Obłękowski, emphasized the institutions' engagement in improving road safety in the voivodeship, and a letter from the Marshal of the Mazovian Voivodeship, Adam Struzik, who sponsored the campaign, was read by the Director of WORE (Provincial Road Traffic Center), Dariusz Piątek.