The Lugano City Police is ready for the start of schools and is joining the prevention campaign promoted by the Swiss Touring Club and the Swiss-wide Accident Prevention Bureau under the motto of:

"Wheels Stopped, Kids Safe"

The message, aimed at drivers as the new school year begins, is simple:

If a driver sees a child at a crosswalk who wants to cross, he or she must come to a complete stop.
It is not enough to slow down; the driver must come to a complete stop.

In addition, the Lugano City Police also promotes the home-school route made on foot, so that children consider it a viable and fun choice and parents a safe and healthy choice for their children.

As part of primary prevention (general prevention), road safety instructors and neighborhood officers are particularly active:

  • ... on the first day of school: first-grade students are given a high-visibility "vest" bib to make children clearly visible along the home-to-school route (the TCS will provide 80,000 of these to schoolchildren throughout Switzerland free of charge)
  • ... during the first week of school: neighborhood officers are present not only to oversee general pedestrian and vehicle traffic but also to provide parents with valuable advice on the home-to-school route and to distribute post-it notes to drivers with the slogan "Wheels Stopped, Kids Safe."
  • ... with road safety lessons throughout the year: students are taught that they should only cross at pedestrian crossings when vehicles are completely stopped
  • ... to advise and support the "Pedibus" program: we recommend that various parent committees get information from the Pedibus Ticino Facebook page, school bulletin boards, or the website www.pedibus.ch regarding the program and available materials.

In addition, our police's road safety instructors are always available to provide specific advice on the safest route to use.

As part of secondary prevention (specific prevention), the traffic police is active before, during, and after the opening of schools with targeted traffic controls (driver behavior) near school premises in the following areas:

  • compliance with vehicle speed limits (radar checks);
  • parking behavior of drivers dropping off and picking up students on site;
  • obligation to secure children in the vehicle with seat belts;
  • requirement for a child seat/booster seat for children up to 12 years old or under 150 cm in height.

For drivers: Pay special attention to children!

  • Set a good example by following traffic rules
  • Reduce your speed and be ready to stop
  • Come to a complete stop at pedestrian crossings if a child wants to cross
  • Maintain a safe distance from children on bicycles
     

For parents: Promote safety on the home-to-school route

  • Parents, set a good example. Show your children the safest route to school by walking it with them safely
  • Choose the safest route, not the shortest! Teach and practice the safe use of overpasses, underpasses, sidewalks, and pedestrian crossings — the latter should only be crossed when the traffic light is green!
  • Send your children to school early enough, dressing them in easily visible clothing that also includes reflective elements
  • Avoid driving your children to school whenever possible. Walking to school is an important experience for them
     

For children: Pay attention to your behavior

  • Do not run or play on the road
  • Do not get distracted
  • Respect others
  • Always pay attention to traffic

For accompanying drivers: Be mindful of car use in front of schools

  • Do not rush
  • Always fasten the children's seat belts
  • Use a child seat or booster seat
  • Do not endanger children by parking or stopping where it is prohibited or where visibility is limited
  • Stop in designated parking areas
  • Let children out on the sidewalk side
  • Before starting, check that there are no children in front of or behind the vehicle
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The English version of this page was created with the aid of automatic translation tools and may contain errors and omissions.

The original version is the page in Italian.

Contacts

Città di Lugano
Polizia
Via Beltramina 20b
6900 Lugano
t. +41 58 866 81 11
[email protected]