Student school commute safety guidance

As the new school year approaches, experts and child rights advocates in Germany, Austria, and Lithuania are providing guidance to ensure the safety of students commuting to school.

In Germany, specifically in North Rhine-Westphalia where approximately 170,000 children are preparing for the September 2 start of classes, ADAC traffic experts recommend that parents practice school routes multiple times. Suggestions include choosing safer, albeit longer, routes and performing role reversals where the child leads to demonstrate safety understanding. The use of reflectors on backpacks is highlighted as a critical step, as they can increase visibility up to 140 meters, compared to only 25 meters for dark clothing.

In Austria, traffic psychologist Patricia Prunner from ARBÖ emphasizes that safety routines require six to ten repetitions to become effective. Statistics from Lower Austria noted 85 accidents involving 91 injured children on school routes last year, with increased risk between October and December. Experts advise that children, who often have a limited field of vision and struggle to judge speed and distance, benefit from supervised group walking, such as ‘walking buses.’

In Lithuania, advocates emphasize preparing children for independent travel by teaching them to recognize risky situations and handle unexpected disruptions, such as changed bus routes or dead phone batteries. Guidance includes teaching children to use the emergency number 112 and how to navigate interactions with strangers by moving toward public spaces if they feel uneasy.