Driver attention. It's just in a few days!

The beginning of the school year and the return of children to school is a time of increased traffic on the roads, especially pedestrian traffic near educational institutions. At this time, drivers should be especially sensitive to the youngest road users, slow down and observe the principle of limited confidence.

The beginning of September and the return of students to full-time study means an increase in traffic. Be extremely careful when sending your child to school. The real stake is not in punctuality, but in the life and health of the child. Particular attention should be paid to traffic safety near pedestrian crossings, where many drivers break the rules and do not give way to pedestrians. Last year, September became the second month after August with the highest number of accidents (2557)*.

BE CAREFUL AT SCHOOL

Drivers should slow down and be vigilant when driving near a school or kindergarten. In such places, special attention should be paid to proper parking so that the abandoned vehicle does not interfere with the safe movement of children, since if they are not tall, when leaving a parked car, the younger ones may not be noticed by other drivers.

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Often, parents themselves lead to danger by leaving at the last moment and bringing the child as close as possible to the entrance to the school so that he will not be late for lessons, says Adam Bernard, director of the Renault Safe Driving School. .

FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLE OF LIMITED TRUST

If we see children near the road or parking lot, it is especially important to follow the principle of limited trust. This applies in particular to places such as the vicinity of pedestrian crossings, stops, stations, schools, kindergartens and pedestrian crossings leading to them, as well as open sidewalks. The youngest road users are expected to look and not notice the oncoming car. In such a situation, it is extremely important for the driver to correctly observe the front of the road in order to notice the pedestrian in time and be able to quickly react if a child appears on the road.

MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS SEEN DIFFERENTLY

For children to be safe on the road, they must be visible to drivers. Pedestrians walking on unlit roads at dusk and without reflective elements are visible to drivers only from a close distance, which can significantly impede the effective reaction of the driver who does not have time to brake and overtake or overtake such a person. This is even more important in autumn when it gets dark much faster. That's why it's so important to arm your child with reflectors. It doesn't have to be special

difficult, because the market has a large selection of clothing with reflective elements, especially sportswear. When buying a backpack and other accessories for children, you should also pay attention to whether they contain such elements. Outerwear should be chosen in bright colors - this will also help drivers notice the baby earlier.

According to the regulations, pedestrians walking on a road after dark outside of built-up areas are required to use reflective strips unless they are walking on a pedestrian-only road or pavement. However, studies show that more than 80% of pedestrians in such a situation do not use reflectors, and almost 60% wear dark clothes, which almost completely prevents the driver from seeing the pedestrian in time and adequately reacting behind the wheel**.

TRANSLATE AND BE AN EXAMPLE

Parents and guardians of children should make every effort to ensure that they know how to behave on the road and what rules they must follow in order to safely get to school. It is worth preparing children for participation in road traffic from the earliest years of life, especially since they often ride scooters or bicycles.

Particular attention should be paid to explaining and showing the child the rules of safe traffic on the road, what not to do and what the consequences are, for example, how to cross the road correctly, how to drive on it in the absence of a sidewalk or shoulder, and how to behave in waiting areas for a bus. The most effective way to learn is by frequent and consistent example. Knowing the dangers that children can face on the road can save them from a traffic accident. The marginalization of children's road safety education can also lead to inattentive drivers and inattentive pedestrians.

*www.policja.pl

**www.krbrd.gov.pl

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