Upper Austria leads Austria in school-route accidents

Upper Austria recorded 102 school-route accidents last year, a 40 percent increase, ORF reported, citing figures from the mobility organisation VCÖ. The incidents injured 105 children, but none was fatal.

VCÖ urged families to practise school routes during the holidays, particularly with children starting school and those changing schools. It recommended routes with fewer road crossings and well-maintained pavements.

Municipalities can improve safety through traffic-calming measures and clearly visible pedestrian crossings. VCÖ expert Klara Maria Schenk said parents should report dangerous or problematic points on their children’s routes to the municipality and school management so that the responsible authorities can assess and address them.

Comparison with other provinces

Upper Austria had the most school-route accidents among Austria’s provinces, ahead of Lower Austria with 85 incidents and Vienna with 80. Children moving from primary school to middle schools or grammar schools should practise their new routes early to learn to assess potential dangers.

VCÖ also advised adults to help children learn safe road behaviour and to view school routes from a child’s perspective, including possible obstructions caused by parked vehicles.

It added that children are exempt from the principle of trust in road traffic. Vehicles must approach pedestrian crossings with particular caution to prevent accidents.