Tool for verifying vehicular speeds during school journeys for safety assurance.
In the city of Bamberg, third-graders from Wunderburg School, Rupprecht School, and Martin School have been actively participating in the "On the brakes, ready, go!" project. This initiative, designed to be fun and engaging, aims to educate children about the importance of traffic safety.
The project, organised nationwide by the non-profit organisation for crime prevention and road safety (gGKVS) and the society for value-oriented action (gGwH), has been successfully implemented at several primary schools in Bamberg in previous years. Petra Wilutzky, the project manager of gGKVS, and Daniela Becker, the head of gGKVS, oversee the project's implementation.
During the project, children conducted movement games and braking trials with roller skates in the gym under guidance. These activities were not limited to the indoor environment; the project also took place on the streets, providing real-world experiences to reinforce the lessons about speed and braking distances.
The project is particularly important as children under the age of ten are particularly vulnerable on the road because they cannot yet independently estimate speeds and braking distances. By participating in the project, third-graders learned that only those who brake in time are those who are slow and careful, not necessarily the slowest.
As part of the action, children directly confronted drivers with red or green cards. Those driving at speeds of 30 km/h were rewarded with a green thumb up, while those driving too fast received a red card. All children who participated in the project received a reflective "Tempo-Checker" star to attach as a reminder of the experience on their school route.
The success of the project in Bamberg suggests its potential for implementation in other locations. Traffic education is seen as important because it can save lives, and the "On the brakes, ready, go!" project is a fun and engaging way to teach children about the importance of adapted speed in traffic.
