Going to school safely: Mettmann's children now walk!

Going to school safely: Mettmann's children now walk!

Next week a new phase of life begins for 406 children in Mettmann: the start of school at the city's primary schools. Mayor Sandra Pietschmann has initiated a review to ensure the safety of routes to school. The goal is clear: all students should come to school safely and without accidents. Drivers are therefore appealed to be particularly attentive and considerate, as the start of the school year is a challenge for many families. Super tip reported.

An important player in this issue is the ADAC Foundation, which, under the motto “Walk to school”, calls for children not to be taken to school by car. This initiative is intended not only to promote children's independence and risk awareness in road traffic, but also to support their health through exercise. Special stops for parent taxis have been set up for all city schools, with children supposed to walk the last stretch to school on their own. Reducing the density of vehicles in front of schools could noticeably reduce the risk of accidents. Cologne City Gazette has paid particular attention to this topic.

Strengthening transport and mobility education

In order to further increase security, the municipal security service and the police will have an increased presence at the primary schools. In particular, checks to ensure compliance with traffic rules, fire brigade access and parking bans are to be expected. Parents who stop directly in front of the school must be prepared to be spoken to by the police. The city itself is also involved by checking the safety of footpaths and calling on property owners not to allow bushes and hedges to encroach on the footpath. These measures aim to control high hedges or street greenery that obscures visibility. Safety aspects are therefore very important everywhere.

The ADAC Foundation has also launched a campaign for safe routes to school, which shows concrete alternatives to the parent taxi. Almost 25% of primary school children in Germany are driven to school by car every day, according to the foundation. To counteract this, solutions such as walking buses are offered, in which up to twelve children go to school together with one adult. For longer distances, there is the option of taking children to collection points from where they can continue walking accompanied. Further information on the visibility of children at dusk completes the offer. ADAC Foundation also offers numerous educational materials for schools and parents to make children safer.

Road safety is a task for society as a whole that requires everyone – municipalities, schools, parents and road users – to take responsibility. The promotion of initiatives such as “Watch out with ADACUS”, “Attention Car” and “Roller Fit” is offered free of charge in daycare centers and primary schools. It is important that parents also actively use the school route plans and practice the route to school together with their children. The role played by prudent and exemplary behavior should not be underestimated. After all, the safety of children and smooth traffic flow are of great interest to everyone.