School vicinity witnessing multiple traffic violations, including excessive speeding, improper phone usage, and illegal parking near educational institutions.
In the German state of Baden-Württemberg, the focus of safety measures for children on their way to school is primarily on emergency preparedness and vigilance, rather than specific traffic violation enforcement near schools and kindergartens.
This approach is evident in the U.S. military community schools within Stuttgart, where annual antiterrorism training and lockdown drills are conducted to teach students and staff how to secure buildings and protect themselves during emergencies. Local authorities and parents are also encouraged to promote children reporting suspicious behaviour to enhance security.
Regarding traffic violations near schools and kindergartens, no specific new state-wide measures or intensified enforcement actions have been detailed in the available information. The general advice for safety in the region remains to exercise normal safety precautions, with a heightened awareness of threats including terrorism and extremism, which could indirectly affect school safety.
During statewide inspections, the police in Baden-Württemberg reported a high number of traffic violations near schools and kindergartens. Over 4,915 violations were found, with drivers being distracted by mobile phones 367 times and 430 cases reported where children were not wearing seat belts. However, school streets, a proposed means to improve safety for children and young people while traveling to and from school, were not cited as a cause for any of the reported traffic violations.
Hermino Katzenstein, the Green expert for cycling and pedestrian traffic, has suggested school streets as a solution to improve safety for children and young people. He stated that chaotic parking is a real danger to all road users and that the implementation of school streets requires courage and pioneering spirit. The state is preparing a decree to support municipalities that want to set up school streets.
Despite the lack of widespread implementation, there were 50 cities and communities in Baden-Württemberg that participated in a nationwide action day at the beginning of June. In Stuttgart, every tenth measured vehicle was found to be driving too fast near schools and kindergartens.
It's worth noting that U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart leadership actively visits schools to engage with students and reinforce a safe environment, though this focus is more on security awareness than traffic-related safety.
In light of these measures, it's clear that the primary known safety efforts near schools in Baden-Württemberg currently emphasize emergency response training and community vigilance against potential violent threats rather than specific traffic violation enforcement adjacent to schools and kindergartens.
A young resident of Baden-Württemberg might find it important to stay informed about the ongoing discussions in politics regarding the implementation of school streets, a suggested solution for improving safety for children and young people, particularly given Hermino Katzenstein's advocacy for this measure. Moreover, while crime-and-justice issues may not be the primary focus of safety measures near schools in Baden-Württemberg, it's essential for parents and children to report suspicious behavior, as local authorities encourage this practice to enhance security.
