Mobility and Road Safety in Krefeld – Focus on School Routes and Child Accidents

Mobility and Road Safety in Krefeld

In Krefeld, the safety of children in road traffic is a central issue. Over the past few years, the city has conducted a comprehensive mobility study focusing on the traffic situation of children aged 6–14. The results reveal clear patterns of great significance for traffic policy. In particular, the relationship between speed limits and accident frequency, as well as the spatial distribution of accidents around schools, are decisive factors for planning future measures.

Child Accidents and Speed: 30 km/h as a Safety Measure

A key finding of the study is the link between speed limits and accident probability. In 30 km/h zones, the accident frequency is 0.48 accidents per kilometer, while 50 km/h zones record 0.82 accidents per kilometer. This means that the accident probability on 50 km/h roads is 1.7 times higher than in 30 km/h zones.

The study analyzed 761 child accidents between 2013 and 2023. It found that 57% of all accidents occur when crossing roads. Particularly critical is the situation in 50 km/h zones, where 64% of all crossing accidents take place at junctions without crossing facilities. Therefore, the introduction of 30 km/h zones, especially in the immediate vicinity of schools, is considered an effective measure for accident prevention.

School Routes as Hotspots for Child Accidents

The study identified school routes as particularly dangerous areas. 70% of all child accidents occur on main school routes, and 75% of these happen within 400 meters of a school. This means that the immediate vicinity of schools must be a focus for road safety measures. Overall, the accident rate in 50 km/h zones is 70% higher than in 30 km/h areas – another argument for traffic calming in these areas.

The study also showed that accident patterns vary significantly from district to district. North and East have the highest accident rates, while Huels has the lowest accident burden. In these districts, it is particularly important to implement targeted measures to improve road safety.

Means of Transport and Age Differences

The choice of transportation varies significantly with the age of the children. Children aged 6–9 mainly prefer walking, while children aged 10–14 more frequently use bicycles. These differences also affect accident distribution: among the younger children, more accidents occur while walking, while among the older ones, more accidents are related to cycling.

Gender differences also play a role. Boys use bicycles more often, while girls benefit more from car-based accompanying traffic. Overall, the scooter is more widespread in Krefeld than the national average, which can also be attributed to the city’s infrastructure.

Infrastructure Measures and Recommendations

Based on the study results, concrete recommendations for improving road safety were formulated. These include:

• Introduction of 30 km/h zones in the vicinity of schools.
• Optimization of crossing points, especially with central islands or traffic lights.
• Expansion of bike lanes and sidewalks, to enable safe school routes.
• School zones and school streets as pilot projects for traffic calming.
• Municipal road safety program, coordinating structural and traffic measures.
• Child-friendliness assessments for construction projects, to identify risks for children at an early stage.

These measures are not only relevant for Krefeld but can also be transferred to other cities and regions. The study emphasizes that structural and traffic measures are currently the most effective and cannot be replaced by other forms of prevention such as behavior campaigns or enforcement.

Forward-looking Perspective: How Krefeld is Looking to the Future

In the coming years, Krefeld will focus more on road safety in the school environment. The city plans to set up additional 30 km/h zones and review existing crossing points. In addition, school zones and school streets are to be used as pilot projects for traffic calming.

In the long term, Krefeld aims to reduce the number of parent-driven school trips by improving infrastructure for walking and cycling. This includes, for example, the creation of safe school routes, the introduction of no-stopping zones around schools, and the expansion of bike lanes.

The study has shown that there is no simple solution for improving road safety. It requires a combination of structural measures, traffic optimizations, and political will. Krefeld has taken an important step in this direction with the mobility study – and thus created a model for other cities.