60 Years of School Crossing Guards in Austria

"It is always impressive to see the dedication with which school crossing guards commit themselves to the safety of others every day," said Roland Pichler, Deputy Director General of the AUVA. On November 13, 1964, 14 so-called "emergency helpers" began their service in Salzburg - they are considered Austria's first school crossing guards.

60 Years of School Crossing Guards: Smartphones, E-Scooters, and E-Mopeds Added as Sources of Danger

Today, the deployment of crossing guards is more relevant than ever. Children distracted by smartphones, e-scooters, and e-mopeds, as well as drivers who do not adhere to speed limits, make traffic around schools more dangerous. In 2024, there were 451 school route accidents - 43 fewer than the previous year - and for the first time since 2020, there were no fatalities. 35 percent of school route accidents involve children who are on foot, including 80 children who had accidents on a crosswalk last year. The reasons for this are inattentiveness and right-of-way violations, mostly by other road users - only a quarter of these accidents were caused by students themselves.

Prevention and Information Platform for School Route Safety

Klaus Robatsch, Head of the Traffic Safety Department at the KFV, recommends practicing school routes and choosing the safest rather than the shortest route: "It is important to prepare children for potential dangers through regular school route training - and at the same time raise awareness among adults about the special situation around schools." An important step for prevention work in road traffic is also the new digital platform schulwegsicherung.at. This offers "low-threshold relevant information" for school children, parents, teachers, but also communities and the executive.

(APA/Red)

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