Parent taxis endanger children: This makes the way to school safer!

Parent taxis endanger children: This makes the way to school safer!

In recent weeks, the topic of safety in the school environment has been increasingly discussed. Particularly in Mannheim, where, according to mrn-news.de, there are dangerous traffic situations around schools, the city has reacted with various measures. The morning and midday peak times represent a major challenge. For this reason, the city's public order service carried out increased controls at the beginning of the school year, which included speed measurements and educational discussions for drivers. Mayor Dr. Volker Proffen appeals to parents to leave their cars at home and encourage their children to go to school independently. This is not only intended to reduce the risk of accidents, but also to increase children's self-confidence.

A look at the numbers: From September 15th to October 10th, 234 parking violations were detected in safety-related areas, including crosswalks and traffic light areas. “Parent taxis” often lead to confusing traffic situations that are dangerous for children. The administration therefore calls on drivers to drive carefully and only park in permitted areas.

Safe routes to school for children

The topic of “school routes” is not only a hot topic in Mannheim. Statistics nationwide also show that many children are in danger on the way to school. According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 20,500 children between the ages of 6 and 14 were injured in traffic accidents in 2022, although most were not traveling on foot. Traffic expert Simon Höhner points out that the safest way for children to get to school is to walk. However, it should be noted that a quarter of parents take their children to school by car, which in turn increases the volume of traffic in front of schools. This problem has led to 86 percent of parents in DEKRA's 2019 road safety report rating driving with their child to school as inappropriate.

• 57% der Befragten kritisieren, dass es zu viele Autos vor den Schulen gibt.
• 56% sehen gefährliche Verkehrssituationen durch Elterntaxis.
• 55% wünschen sich abgetrennte Hol- und Bringzonen für die Schüler.

These concerns are taken up by deutschlandfunk.de and the ADAC. Both organizations recommend that parents let their children go to school independently. This not only promotes safety awareness, but also children's concentration and independence. Concepts such as the “walking bus” or “pedibus”, where parents accompany the students, could also have a positive impact on safety. The ADAC also offers support in setting up pick-up and drop-off zones.

The future of school streets

In Cologne, a pilot project to introduce “school streets” is currently being tested at four schools and will run until the Easter holidays. Other cities such as Bonn and Frankfurt am Main are considering similar initiatives. This could represent an important step towards safe routes to school. However, it should be noted that school streets are not legally closed in Germany; Municipalities must prove there is a risk in order to close streets to traffic.

In summary, it should be noted that promoting independent trips to school in conjunction with targeted road safety measures can make a significant contribution to children's safety. Mayor Dr. Proffen and the city authorities continue to work on solutions to increase the sense of security among students and their parents.