Since the Corona crisis, the number of voluntary school helpers in Bavaria has fallen massively. “Unfortunately, during the corona pandemic, the number dropped significantly from a good 30,000 across Bavaria to currently 25,000,” said Interior Secretary Sandro Kirchner (CSU) in Munich. On the occasion of the start of Bavaria-wide school enrollment in 2023 for first graders, he appealed to people to get involved in the voluntary task.
“The commitment is worth it: For decades, there has never been a serious or even fatal accident on the way to school in Bavaria at any crossing supervised by a school route service,” said Kirchner. Bavaria has a nationwide pioneering role in voluntary school route services – including school guides, school route helpers, school bus guides and school bus attendants. “Every second school route service in Germany is in use in Bavaria,” emphasized Kirchner.
A look at the accident statistics for 2022 shows how great the dangers on the way to school can be: The number of accidents on the way to school has increased from 2021, when significantly fewer children were on the road because of homeschooling, by 35.2 percent to 619 (2021: 458). 685 injured school children (2021: 500). Compared to the last year before Corona, 2019, there were 30 fewer traffic accidents in 2022 (2019: 649) and 83 injuries (2019: 768).
Kirchner therefore also appealed to all parents to use the time until the first day of school to practice the way to school with their children. Many municipalities have drawn up special school route maps for this purpose. “It’s important to focus on the danger spots with the children and to show ways to avoid them as far as possible,” he said.
Schoolchildren are considered to be particularly at risk in road traffic because they lack the experience and awareness of the dangers and are also easily overlooked when they want to cross the street. Conspicuous clothing is therefore important to reduce hazards.
