"Is your bike
in order, you will receive a road safety gadget," said police spokeswoman
Isolde Van Eenooghe. "Deliver you an extra effort to be visible, for
example by wearing a fluorescent safety vest, and then you win a cinema ticket or a
voucher bike." The cyclists, who are not in order, need to bring their
bikes in order within a week and checked by the police.
Collaboration
Road safety around
schools is a priority for the local police. The working group traffic and
mobility education, short vemoe, has been working for several years to teach
students to safely participate in traffic. Under the motto “Swim you learn in
the pool, biking on the road pulls vemoe to the schools to teach the children,
both in the classroom and on the road, main road and cycling skills. In
secondary schools, the working group is in dialogue with the next generation of
drivers.
Road safety is
also a theme that lives among the members of the youth council Knokke-Heist. “We
stand 100 percent behind this action," said Philippe Hill Mans. "Especially
during the dark months, it is important that school children stand out in
traffic. A good bicycle or wearing fluorescent and reflective material can
make a difference. With the gadgets and prizes we want extra motivate young
cyclists clearly visible to be. "
Preventive
controls
The local police
continued in October preventive bicycle checks in the elementary schools of
Damme and Knokke-Heist. In total, 741 bikes were checked. About three in 10
bikes were technically out of order. 69 bikes had no or a faulty bike.
"Our campaigns and preventive controls have become more effective,"
says Isolde Van Eenooghe. "At the start of controls in 2013 was one of the
two bikes out of order. In particular, mountain bikes and racing bicycles are a
problem. Parents often forget that these sports bikes must be equipped in
darkness with lights and reflectors."
The police in
safety reflective vest and youth council checked during the operation
in 2015-2016 a total of 476 bicycles in Knokke-Heist. Of these, 109 bicycles traffic
safely. The cyclists were given a report warning and had to put in order their
bikes within the week.
