In 74 accidents

Only in Upper Austria children died on the way to school last year

The way to school should be learned.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

School starts again in three weeks. Now is the right time to practise getting to school with your children. Last year, two pupils lost their lives tragically in Upper Austria. Teenagers and boys are particularly at risk.

It's probably every parent's nightmare: the child leaves the house in the morning to go to school - but never gets there. This is what happened in December last year, when an eleven-year-old girl was fatally hit by a car while crossing the road in Kirchberg ob der Donau. An expert subsequently established that the driver had no way of preventing the accident - the investigation was closed.

October is the most dangerous month
A teenager from Linz (13) was knocked down by a car in June 2023 when he tried to cross the road. The teenager was critically injured and died shortly afterwards in hospital. This made Upper Austria the only federal state in which there were fatal accidents on the way to school last year. In general, the number of these accidents increased compared to the previous year - from 69 to 74. What is striking is that of the 76 children injured, only two were "Taferlklassler", 36 of whom were between 13 and 15 years old. Most of the accidents - namely 15 - happened in October, and almost two thirds of the children involved were boys.

Practise the way to school now
The Austrian Transport Club (VCÖ) appeals to parents to practise walking to school, especially with children starting school. This is because younger children in particular often have a short distance to cover on foot. "This gives them a daily dose of exercise and teaches them how to behave correctly in traffic," says VCÖ expert Katharina Jaschinsky. Children who are taken to school by car are deprived of this opportunity.

Parents can enter problem areas on the way to school here: map.vcoe.at/schulwegcheck

Kommentar

Kinder nicht in Watte packen

"Watch out!" "Look when you cross the road!" "The car is stronger than you!" Every parent has probably "prayed down" these sentences 1,000 times when their children are alone on the road. But worrying and wrapping your children in absorbent cotton are two different things.

(Bild: Markus Wenzel, adobe.stock.com, Krone KREATIV)

Only those who have confidence in their children will give them the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills in road traffic. Taking the little ones to school by car is not only counterproductive, but also creates additional sources of danger due to the high volume of "parent cabs".