School path champions: New initiative for safe streets for children!

School path champions: New initiative for safe streets for children!

Köln, Deutschland - On June 10, 2025, the focus is on child safety day, an important reason to raise awareness of the safety of our little ones in road traffic. In this context, the ACV Automobil Club Verkehr has launched the "School Way Champions" initiative. The aim is to introduce children to traffic rules in a playful way and to bring them closer to the safe use of road traffic. According to the [Braunschweiger Zeitung] (https://www.braunschweiger-zeitung.de/wirtschaft/presseportal/article40926515/kinder Security Day-2025-acv-Initiative-Schulweg-Schampions-Stark-KinderSicherke-im-strasse) in 2023 a total of 27,235 road traffic accidents under 15 years recorded. This number shows a decline compared to the early 1990s, but the safety of the children on the streets is still an urgent topic.

A central component of the "School Way Champions" initiative is a newly developed learning book for children aged five to eight years. This issue, which was created in cooperation with the Cologne police, brokably conveys important traffic rules. It accompanies the children on an exciting journey with the mascot Pavo through various traffic situations. In addition to basic rules of conduct, more complex scenarios are also treated, supplemented by picture stories, coloring pages and puzzles. Parents receive valuable tips for promoting their children's traffic skills.

parents and mobility: Together for the destination

The role of parents is important when it comes to traffic education. A Forsa survey shows that 23 % of parents bring their children to school by car. Transport expert Simon Höhner points out that children are safest when they walk to school. Nevertheless, a phenomenon has crept in, which one describes as a "generation back seat". The reasons for this are primarily the way to work and lack of time, which increases the dangers for the children in front of the schools, as explained in the [Deutschlandfunk] (https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/schulstrasse-statt-elterntaxi 100.html).

Here the ACV initiative comes in by also promoting access to free learning materials. This school primer is not only distributed free of charge in Cologne, but can also be ordered in class set sizes of 30 copies in the ACV shop. In addition, the booklet is available for download on the ACV website, even in several foreign languages ​​and in a version on Kölsch.

promotion of safe mobility

The initiative aims to raise awareness of safe mobility of numbers from road traffic. It is alarming that, according to the Federal Statistical Office, around 20,500 children between the ages of six and 14 were violated in traffic accidents in 2022, in many cases driving by car or bicycle was the main cause. In addition, the number of parent taxis in schools is a growing problem. Initiatives such as those in Saxony show positive approaches to promote the independent to school.

Another important aspect of traffic education is created by the guideline "Children in Road Traffic: Certainly mobile" of the KFV. This supports schools and parents in promoting children's mobility competence up to the age of 14. The aim is to train children at an early stage in their risk perception and orientation. According to the KFV, the way to school should be practiced with parental accompaniment to ensure safe mobility.

A rethink is necessary: ​​Parents should be suggested to walk their way to school with their children. More and more cities, including Cologne and Frankfurt, are already testing successful models such as school roads to reduce traffic from schools and thus increase the safety of our children. It remains to be hoped that these developments will have a positive effect on safety in road traffic and the number of accidents will continue to decrease.