In this situation, should you assume that a road worker may unexpectedly step onto the road from behind a vehicle undertaking road repair work?

In the photo you can see a street where the right lane is taken up by an excavator doing roadworks, with a worker next to it; at the edge there are signs A-14 "roadworks" and A-12b "road narrows on the right". In this situation you should assume that a person doing the work may unexpectedly step onto the roadway from behind the vehicle doing the roadworks - the answer is YES.

The Road Traffic Act allows you to expect that other road users will obey the rules, unless the circumstances show that they may behave differently. A roadworks site is a typical example of such circumstances: workers who are focused on their work may step out from behind a machine onto the roadway without looking at approaching vehicles. That is why you slow down, keep a larger distance from the excavator and watch the space around it. Vehicles doing roadworks often move off or reverse suddenly. In such a place you drive more slowly and more carefully than usual.

Legal basis: Art. 4 and Art. 23 para. 1 point 2 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym); § 7 para. 3 and 5 of the Regulation on road signs and signals