The autumn school semester will bring a large number of new people to traffic, as first-graders start going to school this week.
Fintraffic and the Finnish Road Safety Council reminded everyone of the importance of safety on the way to school, said Fintraffic in a press release on Tuesday.
As schoolchildren fill the streets, it is important for drivers to pay even more attention to traffic rules and observing their environment. Parents are also urged to teach their children about safety on way to school and back home.
There are 51,000 new first-graders starting school at the beginning of August. Many of them are out in traffic for the first time without an adult.
“Safe traffic always starts with adults. We all need to be alert and cautious, especially when approaching a pedestrian crossing and in areas where there are usually children. The children are practising their traffic skills, and it is up to each of us adults to make sure that stepping on a pedestrian crossing is safe. So, let’s be careful and ready to stop whenever we approach a pedestrian crossing”, said Eero Sauramäki, Head of Road Traffic Management Centre at Fintraffic.
Children need experiences of traffic to learn how to act safely and the journey to school is a great way to practise traffic skills in a familiar environment.
“I’d recommend that parents walk or cycle the way to school with their child several times. It’s a good opportunity to go over what to do in different traffic situations and answer any questions your child may have along the way. It’s also important for the child to learn the traffic rules and for the parent to set a safe example with their own behaviour”, said Laura Väinölä of the Finnish Road Safety Council.
Meanwhile, police will be monitoring on the vicinity of schools during the daytime from 4 to 22 August 2025.
The goal of the monitoring is to improve traffic safety in built-up areas and in particular to ensure a safe journey to and from school for small schoolchildren, and to prevent traffic accidents, said police in a press release on Tuesday.
Police patrols will also be visibly present near schools.
“It has been shown that visible police surveillance calms down traffic and improves the safety and also the sense of safety of schoolchildren on their way to school,” said Chief Superintendent of the National Police Board Heikki Kallio.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
