Reflective tapes should be part of the basic clothing. Traffic educator of the police gives tips.

Consoling. Even though the days are starting to get longer again, it’s still dark on the morning walk to school, and even on the way home for afternoon recreational activities, children often return home in the dark.

Poor visibility, which is made even more difficult by rain, snow or mist, especially for children, who already have disadvantages in road traffic anyway due to their small body size. Compared to the bright half of the year, the statistics show a doubling of the number of accidents in the winter months – and the number of falls is also significantly higher.

How can you try to prevent falls?

It should be clear to everyone, my experts, that it is easier to slip on trendy shoes such as sneakers with smooth soles than with soles.

How can children be better protected against accidents?

“One should make it as easy as possible for the car driver to perceive a child on the road,” says Karin Gravitas, one of the three traffic educators of the police in Consoling. “Concretely: wear reflective clothing or at least reflector strips. You can buy for little money so-called clack bands, which can be well attached to the arm and chest or back. “She wants to release anyone at the wheel of a vehicle from his responsibility to be mindful, stressed the High Commissioner. But what you can do as a pedestrian to be better seen, you should do. Incidentally, this also applies in a special way to seniors, who are often slower and possibly – like children – not able to quickly perceive and react adequately to a dangerous traffic situation.

“Equip the bike well with reflectors.”

Karin Gravitas, traffic educator of the police

Should there be a change on the actually well-practiced route, parents are well advised to improve the traffic training once again. “Construction sites, for example, can change conditions so that what they have learned is no longer readily applicable,” explains Gravitas. Adolescents can confidently survey new and unfamiliar traffic situations themselves and decide what is needed at an acute age, as a teenager. “Until then, kids are shouting what they’ve done with them. And that’s a special challenge in the dark. ”

What does the police think about cycling in dark January?

If you do not want to do without cycling in the winter, your bike should also be well equipped with reflectors, emphasizes Karin Gravitas. There are enough good accessories that are easy to attach to. “For example on the pedals.” If you wear a backpack, it should also be marked. “Just because he may be hiding the reflective jacket.”

Incidentally, the traffic policewoman does not think it’s a good idea to send the kids by bike on snow and ice. Narrow bicycle tires are completely unsuitable for road conditions that already pose a challenge to the car. “Then rather walk.”