Workshop TR 4.4, Wednesday 21 June, 14.00 - 15.30

From home to school

Jack Wolters, Traffic Safety Officer, Department of Infrastructure, Traffic and Transport of the City of Amsterdam, the Netherlands Erna Ruijer , (former) Coordinator, Traffic Safety Education, Department of Infrastructure, Traffic and Transport  Amsterdam, the Netherlands  From home to school, Greater safety for young cyclists (and pedestrians) The City of Amsterdam is currently operating a Long-term Road Safety Scheme, the objective of which is to reduce the number of traffic casualties by 25% in the year 2000 (against the base year of 1985). This objective has now almost been achieved. The Road Safety Scheme 1995-2000 recognizes that traffic education in Amsterdam must be given a new impulse. Accordingly, a Coordination Point for Traffic Education has been set up and a pilot project, 'From home to school', has been started. The City of Amsterdam's new Road Safety Programme for 2000-2005 includes a number of new objectives: an overall 33% reduction in traffic casualties by 2005 and a minimum 25% reduction in traffic casualties among the target groups. For one of these target groups - young cyclists - a specific campaign is required. The written surveys conducted as part of the 'From home to school' programme, provided much interesting material. Not only could we establish how schoolchildren travel, plus the reasons they may decide not to use the bicycle to do so, but we could also identify the risky situations they encounter on the way to or from school. The City of Amsterdam and the 'urban boroughs' have undertaken a number of activities, some of which are intended to improve road safety while others are intended to encourage the use of the bicycle. The activities include those in the field of traffic education, a road safety examination, a traffic practice garden, screening and reconstruction of school routes, the 'Ethnic minorities on bicycles' project and police inspections of bicycles on the roads. Immediately following this presentation there will be a practical demonstration and explanation of these various activities in the vicinity of the RAI Conference Centre.