The campaign message “Stop for schoolchildren” creates a clear instruction for the necessary safety reserve. The motif with the white and blue “L” also encourages drivers to understand that schoolchildren are learners. The Zurich police (Zurich cantonal police, Zurich city police, Winterthur city police and municipal police) are also participating this year in the national campaign by the VCS and the Swiss Foot Traffic Association. For around six weeks, they will be providing information on Facebook and Instagram about various topics relating to the upcoming start of school and explaining why children on foot and by bike are learners in traffic. You can also take part in a competition and win great prizes.
Children in traffic
Children are full of energy and live in their own fantasy world. They are playful and easily distracted. They are unable to correctly estimate the distance and speed of approaching vehicles. Due to their size, they can easily be overlooked. They find it difficult to recognize dangers early on and react instinctively. They must learn to filter out the many noises in road traffic and interpret them correctly. Drivers should therefore not only slow down, but always stop their vehicle when a child wants to cross the road. Children learn from the police not to cross the road until the wheels have come to a standstill.
Prevention, training and control
The police traffic instructors visit kindergartens and first grades and show the youngest children how to behave safely on the way to school and especially when crossing the street. Bicycle training then begins in the second grade. This year, the police are once again paying particular attention to road users in the vicinity of schools and kindergartens and checking speed and behavior in the area of pedestrian crossings.
