ABSTRACT
American statistics [USCG, 2003] brought to light that the large part of collisions of ships with bridges caused however comparatively not large scale losses. In years 1992-2001 one noted together 2692 collisions. Only 61 from them (2,2%) caused greater losses then 0,5 millions USD. The 1702 events (63%) of them was incidents in which the damage were not significant and the repairs of the bridge was not necessary. In the inland area administered by RZGW in Szczecin there was average one collision of the inland unit with the bridge per year. Most destructive was the collision
1 THE ACCIDENT STATISTICS AND THE PROBLEMS OF SHIPS COLLISIONS WITH BRIDGES
Bridges situated on sea and inland waterway areas belong is the particularly sensitive infrastructure from three the major causes:
1. create restrictions of not only in the vertical water area but also in horizontal;
2. they create the threat to its users in the case of ship-bridge collision and bridge collapse,
3. the cost of the bridge is usually considerably larger then the cost of the ship itself.
