Police brace themselves for a steep increase in road accidents as Poles return home from the seasonal holiday just as temperatures plunge to minus 18 tonight.

Traffic police have already caught 773 people for drunk driving. Eighteen have died in the last two days on the roads, 253 were injured in 183 accidents. Compared to last year these figures are comparatively good but they are expected to rise, sharply, as Poles struggle home through snow and ice, warns Przemyslaw Rzeźniewski the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways.

The worst conditions are currently in southern and central Poland. southern provinces and in the middle of the Polish. Snow ploughs and salting machines are trying to keep roads clear but are hampered in many places by strong winds.

The maximum temperature are expected to plunge to between minus 11 to minus 8 degrees Celsius in most places with only coastal districts reaching a comparatively warm minus 2 degree C. (pg)

Source: IAR, PAP