Vital homework for Bielefeld's first graders!

The children are still on vacation. But the new school-goers and those who change schools in a few days should already train their new way, experts advise. Even those who have practiced the way by bus and train, comes the first time relaxed in the new school year. In 2018, 117 children died in traffic accidents in Bielefeld - the highest figure in the past five years.

  

The police not only appeals to all parents to train the new way to school on time and several times - "even if your child is already very independent," said the traffic safety adviser to the police. says a police expert: "This is especially the positive role model of adults required so that children do not copy the misconduct of others."

Experts at the ADAC advise: "Depending on the route, five to ten units are necessary to internalize all the dangers." The training should also take place at school. "The weekend is due to the low traffic at most as a beginner's training," said the police.

  

Children usually take good care of adults, which is why many parents overestimate their abilities, says Verkehrswacht. "But children are not 'small adults', they react spontaneously and their behavior is hardly calculable." All experts, recommend: "Target your children specifically to particularities or danger areas and show them how to handle the dangers well. " But which are they? Above all, the correct crossing of the road should be practiced especially intensively. Because children cannot yet estimate velocities of cars well. They have a smaller field of view and cannot yet locate the sounds of their environment well.

Even parked cars on the roadside are a real danger. "Adults should squat more often to experience the obstruction of the little ones. These include hedges and garbage cans.

WHICH ROUTE?

The shortest route is not always the safest, says the ADAC. Often, small detours leading to traffic lights and pedestrian crossings make more sense. The city has worked out the best way plans for all elementary schools. They usually lead directly to intersections, which promise by traffic lights the greatest security.

GET UP EARLY!

Haste increases the risk of accidents in traffic. Who gets up early and is well-rested, so it is safer. Primary school children need much more time to cross a road, for instance: "While adults can walk along the sidewalk in one process, locate sounds and scan the two lanes for cars, elementary school children can only do one after the other", emphasizes road safety adviser Dunja Winkler from the police.

FROM WHEN ALONE?

The police advise to accompany the students in the first days. Nevertheless, one should encourage the independence of the students and let them go part of the route alone. "Follow your child unnoticed at first," advises the Verkehrswacht. "Only when the children think they are unobserved can one determine whether they stick to the agreements." Often the concentration decreases rapidly when other children join. Many parents organize "walking buses" with several students, who take turns accompanying them.

  

The police strongly advise against bringing children to school by car. So that accidents like those in Mönchengladbach cannot happen, many schools have long set up parental detention centers that are located away from the school building and therefore safer.

The renunciation of the parent taxi is not just about the dangers of parking and getting out. Scientific studies show that children who are brought by car, move much more dependent on the road. They hardly learn to estimate distances and recognize dangers. So they are much more at risk of being involved in an accident.

The police recommend: "Children should first take the bicycle exam during primary school and then cycle to school." The bike test usually takes place in the 3rd or 4th grade. Who sends his child to school by bike, should be regularly around Taking care of the perfect technical condition of the bike, including a bicycle helmet of suitable size.

Those who attend secondary school often have to travel to school by public transport for the first time. Therefore, also for fifth graders, a training recommendation: Both the correct behavior at stops as well as the ride itself should be practiced. The transport association "OWL Verkehr" offers the free "ElternKindTicket" for buses and trains.

VISIBLE IN THE DARK

After the summer, parents can easily increase the safety of the students by adding reflective materials to their clothing or by using safety vests. When it's dark in the morning, neon colors and reflectors are important lifesavers in the traffic.

County dresses Kitas in neon yellow

The children of the Harpstedt Kita Dwarf Nose are now a bit safer if they move in the public traffic area. The County of Oldenburg took care of that: He dressed all 42 girls and boys in safety vests sew on reflective tape. The neon yellow vests were financed out of the pot for traffic immunities (fines) - in the end, by traffic offenders.

On request, you can also equip other kindergartens in the district of Oldenburg with safety vests, offered Siegfried Blum, head of the Road Traffic Office in the county house in Wildeshausen. The first corresponding request had its authority recently received from the Harpstedter Waldburg kindergarten. As requested, the Waldburg lettering was also printed on the garments.

The Kita Zwergnase has now received the second delivery - because there is no logo here, these vests remained unprinted. Both deliveries would have struck together with about 500 euros to book, said the head of the authorities.

That the money is well spent, is synonymous for Samtgemeinde mayor Herwig Wöbse out of the question. Especially in the dark season, it is important to be seen.

Siegfried Bluhm hopes that the investment will send a message to the parents, an incentive to wear jackets with reflective colors or safety vests. "What good does it do to me when the gravestone says," He was well dressed, but you could not see him, "Bluhm pointed out.

Together with his colleague Marion Einemann, the head of the department gave a brief overview of the preventive measures financed from the pot for fines. All in all, it's about 30,000 euros a year.

A field of application: the safety training for young drivers, whereby the district takes over a very substantial part of the costs.

Another field is driver safety training for seniors over the age of 65, which, for example, shows what has changed in traffic law - and in which half-hourly driving tests point to quirks that have crept in over the years. Also, the loan of the rollover simulator of the city-Oldenburg road safety or traffic education measures in schools is made possible with the money from the fines pot.

Civil defense with the promotion of safety vests for kindergartens

The darkness in winter is a risk for all road users, but it quickly becomes a danger to children. If the view is bad or the children are dressed dark, they are perceived as pedestrians in traffic often very late. The remedy is an Upper Austria-wide promotion of the Civil Protection Association offer, which offers warning safety vests for kindergarten groups' promotion awards. Visibility increases from 30 to 150 meters with the safety vest sew on reflective tape.

Safety bag and a safety game

The action aims to make the kindergarten children on excursions, walks and the like more visible. As a bonus, each kindergarten group receives a safety bag with reflective fabric. This corresponds to the design of a safety vest and is also reflective. Kindergarten teachers can use it as a backpack and are a "visible role model". Also, there is a safety memo developed by the OÖ Zivilschutz for the kindergarten, a safety game that illustrates children's everyday risks and avoidance of danger.

Kindergarten Waldkirchen already has the vest

"With this action, the Upper Austrian civil protection makes a major contribution to the safety of the youngest road users," said civil protection district manager Gerhard Gierlinger. In the municipality of Waldkirchen is Wesen, he was able to hand over safety vests to the local kindergarten with Vice-Mayor Engelbert Leitner. Due to strong demand and positive feedback, the promotion was extended until the spring. Kindergartens or communities can order the warning vests at the Upper Austrian Civil Defense at a promotional price.

Yellow safety vests for the ABC shooters

Safety on the way to school is an important thing for parents. They often feel a "restless feeling".

The Rector of the elementary school at the Napoleon stone, Sabine Münchmeier, speaks of a "restless feeling" that parents often would have if they sent their protégés on their way to school. "Delivering the child personally at the school door, of course, is no solution." That's why the topic of security on the way to school is extremely important.

This is also the view of the Regensburg Motorway, which has been running the "Safe to school, safe home" campaign for many years in cooperation with the Regensburg Süd police station. This year's kick-off event took place yesterday in the elementary school at Napoleonstein. In addition to a few guests, the new first graders of the school eagerly listened to the various greetings. The event was accompanied by musical contributions by older students under the direction of Teresa Wegmann.

Help on the way to school

An accident-free way to school is extremely important, said the mayor Maltz-Schwarzfischer. "Fortunately you are not alone on your way," she turns to the first graders. Not only the police are very present, but especially the traffic guard also contributes significantly to the safety of children with their employees, who would all work as volunteers. District Councilor Tanja Schweiger emphasizes that one must practice the way to school until he has "passed into flesh and blood". She says that the children must first and foremost take care of themselves but in addition to each other.

Schuler Stefan Kleinod emphasizes the importance of traffic education with one sentence: "Because children are just children." They would not bring with them the flair and experience of driving that adults already have.

Gifts for the school beginners

Manfred Vormittag, a police officer of the police headquarters of the Upper Palatinate, explained that securing the crossings was one of the most important measures that the traffic guard and the police can do. "Overall, we're committed to ensuring your safety as much as possible."

In the end, Rector Münchmeier spoke again: "I hope this event can make a contribution to safety on the way to school."

At the end of the event, students were given reflective kepis and safety vests by the Traffic Watch.

Change in the wintertime

On the night of this Saturday to Sunday, we will spend the wintertime. One hour less day, one hour more sleep. But especially: 47% increase in road accidents due to lack of brightness. For the Vélo-Cité association, what is important is "seeing and being seen".

In the night from Saturday to Sunday, it will be necessary to set back your clocks for one hour. Like every year, the changeover to winter time is synonymous with days that are getting shorter.

But not only: another less known consequence of the change of time is the increase in the number of accidents. Mainly those involving cyclists and pedestrians made less visible with a lack of brightness.

"In winter, the problem arises particularly since rush hours take place when it's dark," said Oriane Hommet, coordinator of the association Vélo-Cité.

Days are shorter and public lighting is not enough to make cyclists and pedestrians visible.

As a result, each year there is a 47% increase in bodily injuries for the only time slot 17h-19h, between October and November.

The recommendations

To protect yourself, "it is imperative to make yourself more visible when the night begins to fall," recommends Oriane Hommet. "You have to see and be seen, the minimum is to have wheel reflectors and reflectors on the pedals, to indicate its changes of direction."

"Maybe you can wear a reflective vest, and in the winter, we may tend to wear clothes that are duller colors than in summer, we blend more in the colors of the city. pay particular attention. "

"In 60% of accidents involving an automobile and a cyclist or pedestrian, the driver declares not to have seen the person," says the coordinator of the association Vélo-Cité. Hence the need to increase his vigilance.

How to transport ski equipment safely?

Ski equipment is quite difficult to transport due to its size. Often, the boards do not fit in the trunk, even in a station wagon. But even if we can hide the skis, this involves the loss of a certain part of the luggage area. It is true that many modern cars now have special solutions for transporting skis in the car. These holes in the back of the rear bench, through which you can extend the skis into the cabin.

If you are traveling with your family, you still need to pack your luggage, and in the case of a winter trip, it can be a lot, not to mention items such as ski boots or helmets. It all takes up a lot of space.

Therefore, it is better to use the so-called external solutions, like ski grips attached to roof rails or base beams. They can be the same beams that can be used to attach bicycle holders in summer. The so-called jaw grips, which consist of two parts: a fixed base (it is mounted to the base rack) and a movable cover. They allow you to transport 4 to 6 pairs of skis or snowboards. Due to the possibility of salt, sand or snow mud contaminating the equipment, this solution works better on short routes, although the skis can be protected with special covers. Also, choose handles that have a lock to prevent theft of skis.

"Skis should be mounted rearward facing, thanks to which aerodynamic drag will be lower. The vibration will also be smaller, which may cause loosening of the ski mounting handles," advises Radosław Jaskulski, a Skoda Auto School instructor.

As we have already mentioned, a winter skiing trip with the whole family means that apart from skis, other ski equipment and a lot of personal luggage are to be packed. Therefore, a better and safer way to transport equipment is the installation of a roof box. The roof box allows you to pack not only skis or a snowboard but also poles, boots, and ski clothing. Also, it guarantees that the luggage placed in it will be delivered dry and clean.

The box should be reinforced with metal rails. It is convenient if the cover lifts on gas cylinders, which makes it easy to open. A functional solution is also a central lock that bolts the lid in several points, and the ideal is a box that opens on two sides. It is good if the box is equipped with straps for securing luggage. Also, the aerodynamic shape of the box means that the cabin does not get the noise that the ski chuck generates.

"Roof boxes are designed to produce the least possible aerodynamic drag. However, you should be aware of the fact that they are an additional burden for the car. When choosing such a trunk, it is necessary to choose a specific car model and remember not to overload it," emphasizes Radosław Jaskulski.

Therefore, when choosing a roof box, it is best to match it at the authorized sales outlet of the brand. Then we receive a guarantee that such an element fits our car perfectly, both in terms of dimensions and safety.

For example, the Skoda brand offers roof boxes for all currently produced models of this brand. The boxes have standardized dimensions and fit every Skoda model.

The same goes for roof holders for the roof. It is not worth buying cheap accessories, the quality of which often leaves much to be desired. To make matters worse, mismatched components can damage the skis or even unfasten them while riding.

When choosing accessories useful during the winter skiing trip, it is also worth paying attention to the special trunk mats. They work when, for example, you need to transport ski boots in a trunk, which are just unfastened from the skis. The mat can be double-sided - on one side it is covered with fabric for everyday use, and on the other has a rubber surface resistant to water and dirt. Thanks to this, it can be easily washed under a running water stream.

However, for carrying the skis, as well as for transporting them, a special case made of reinforced material, closed with a zipper and equipped with handles will be useful.

When traveling to the mountains in winter, you also have to take snow chains. The word "obligatory" here should be taken literally because on some mountain roads in winter there is an obligation to use chains. Also when choosing chains, choose products designed for a specific car and recommended by its manufacturer.

"The chains should always be fitted to the drive axle, and in a four-wheel-drive car, the chains must be fitted to the front axle. Before leaving, it is a good idea to practice this activity several times to gain some practice," advises the Skoda Auto School instructor.

For a winter trip, items such as a tow rope, a flashlight or a reflective safety vest will also come in handy, not to mention a snow brush and a window scraper.

Road police officers handed out reflective vests

Officers of the Poviat Police Headquarters in Łowicz on Wednesday (April 17) carried out the campaign "Safe cycling season 2019". These were joint actions of the road and city authorities for the safety of cyclists, consisting of distributing reflective vests to cyclists.

On Wednesday morning, policemen from the Lowicz road concentrated their activities in those areas of the city on the Bzura, where many cyclists appear, in the area of ​​Starzyńskiego and Sikorskiego streets.

The activities aimed to improve the safety of unprotected road users by increasing their visibility. On that day cyclists encountered received reflective vests funded for the citizens of Łowicz by the city authorities. They were handed by Mayor Krzysztof Kaliński and the head of the traffic section Mariusz Kajewski.

"A total of 50 reflective vests were distributed," says Urszula Szymczak, spokesman for the Łowicz police. In a conversation with the drivers of two-wheelers, the police reminded us of road safety. Soon the action will be repeated.

The police encourage you to wear reflective vests with reflective fabrics not only in the evening but also during the day. Vests significantly improve the visibility of the cyclist and thus increase his safety on the road.

However, it should be remembered that the reflective vest does not release you from the obligation to properly light and equip your bicycle.

"Also, we remind you that in connection with the start of the cycling season, the popularity of this means of transport in the city and the thefts of two-wheelers emerging during this period, we are continuing the campaign of marking bikes started in last year in Łowicz," adds a policewoman.

Policemen from the Poviat Police Headquarters in Łowicz can mark a bicycle for anyone interested. Engraving and permanent stickers as well as creating a database of these two-wheelers will scare off bicycle thieves.