On Sunday morning, a tragic accident occurred on the S17 expressway in the village of Sieprawice. Two men were killed when a truck struck them while they were changing a tire on their van. Police detained the perpetrator, and traffic was completely blocked for several hours.
What happened on the S17?
The incident happened just after midnight between Saturday and Sunday, in the direction of Warsaw. The victims, men aged 28 and 49, were changing a damaged tire on the van. Unfortunately, despite a warning triangle being set up, they were fatally struck by a passing truck.
Proper securing of the site
- Setting up a warning triangle
- Putting on a high-visibility vest
- Moving away from the vehicle, if possible
Emergency response and consequences
Ambulances, firefighters and police arrived at the scene immediately. The perpetrator of the accident, the truck driver, was detained. The expressway was completely blocked for many hours. Police are conducting an investigation to clarify all the circumstances of the incident. As RM FFM reports, the truck driver was sober.
The S17 was closed until the morning hours. With the return of traffic, questions arose about how safety could be improved when changing a tire on high-speed roads, especially at night or in limited visibility.
Statistics and similar incidents
Accidents during tire changes or other emergency activities on expressways are not uncommon. According to data from the National Police Headquarters (KGP), dozens of serious incidents in similar circumstances occur on Polish roads each year.
*Data for 2025 is partial, as of August.
