This paper presents some findings of the authors' researches on safer routes to school in Germany. They found that the most effective way to prevent road casualties on journeys to and from school were to combine the following approaches: (1) traffic engineering to change the design of the urban road environment; (2) mapping the safest routes to school; (3) better traffic law enforcement; (4) use of various equipment to protect children; (5) road safety education, especially for pre-school and primary school children; (6) road crossing patrols; (7) parent information on road safety topics; and (8) car driver information about the behaviour of children in traffic. The paper presents examples of `safer routes to school' projects in the German cities of Essen, Griesheim, Marktredwitz, and Hoyerswerda. The City of Essen and the University of Essen have been collaborating since 1992 to improve step by step the safety of children on routes to school all over Essen. The other three cities were winners for 1997 of the ADAC competition for cities and communities on the general theme of safety for pedestrians and cyclists. According to a five-year schedule, all German cities over 5000 inhabitants are polled on their activities such as safety on the way to school, and the winners are chosen from them.
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