Ahead of the new school year, Luxembourg's Road Safety Association is urging parents to use the safest routes with their children, ensure they are visible in traffic, while reminding drivers to slow down around schools.

The summer holidays are not over yet, but the new school year is already approaching. Alongside preparing school bags, families are being reminded to practise the school route with children ahead of time.

Accidents involving pedestrians – sometimes children on their way to school – happen every year. That is why Luxembourg's Road Safety Association issues annual reminders on safe behaviour in traffic, both for drivers and for those walking or cycling. To make sure children get to school safely, the journey should not be left to the stress of the first day. It is better to practise it in advance.

Isabelle Medinger, Director of the Road Safety Association, stressed that parents should lead by example by embracing sustainable mobility and showing respect in traffic. She advised families to test the school route together and choose the safest path, ideally crossing at zebra crossings or lights, avoiding major junctions or places with poor visibility.

Crossing safely

The safest way is not always the shortest: sometimes a small detour means more security. Children should be taught to wait until cars have actually stopped, to make eye contact with the driver, and to remain cautious even when the pedestrian light is green, especially if cars are turning. If the light changes while they are already on the crossing, they should continue calmly rather than running.

Crossing behind parked cars or at bends is especially dangerous. While such situations cannot always be avoided, children should be trained to handle them properly.

Training in daily life

It is not enough to walk the route once before school starts. Ideally, families should practise several times in the weeks leading up to the rentrée, following the same routine at each crossing: stop, look both ways twice, then walk. This repetition builds confidence and helps children feel secure once they make the trip alone. For many, it is an important step towards independence.

Visibility first

Visibility also plays a key role. When buying school supplies or clothes, parents are encouraged to choose bright colours and reflective details. Backpacks with reflectors or blinking accessories make children far easier to spot in traffic. As every year, the Road Safety Association is distributing reflective gadgets to children through its "Blinki" campaign to improve safety, Medinger explained.

Parents can also make use of the brochure "Learning Road Traffic", which offers a range of practical exercises for everyday training. It is available free of charge online, or in print from the Road Safety shop or by post.

Appeal to drivers

Safety on the school route is not just the responsibility of parents and children, as drivers play their part as well.

The Road Safety Association emphasises that 30 km/h zones already exist around many schools and is calling for this limit to be applied more widely in school districts. Drivers must observe speed limits and always expect children to behave unpredictably, especially in groups, as advised by the Road Safety Association.