European school street safety initiatives

Cities in Germany and Austria are implementing and expanding “school street” pilot projects to improve student safety and reduce traffic congestion during school hours.

In Bremen, Germany, three primary schools in Walle, Schwachhausen, and Hemelingen began a one-year pilot following the autumn holidays. The initiative involves closing specific roads to motor vehicles for 30 minutes before and after the school day, supported by “Kiss & Ride” parking areas to assist parents. Senator for Children and Education, Mark Rackles, noted the measures aim to decompress traffic in areas where high vehicle volume creates dangerous conditions for children.

In Essen, Germany, a new trial at Grundschule Nordviertel will restrict car traffic on Peterstraße and Gertrudisstraße on weekdays during morning and midday windows. Similarly, Graz, Austria, has implemented two new school streets at VS St. Peter and VS Graz Mariagrün. This expansion brings Graz’s total to ten school streets since September 2023, a response to safety concerns following data from Statistics Austria showing 537 school route accidents and 577 injuries in 2025.