Initiative details
The main challenge is the reduction of road accidents as a function of driving behavior. In recent years, significant progress has been made and the rate of accidents has decreased, but further improvement is needed in drivers behavior and at the same time in the infrastructure which is already extremely improved. For this reason, we created the safe cycling training program to train future drivers: the children, in order to become responsible drivers in the future
Initiative date
Who was/is your target audience?
Children 0-16
Topic
Create awareness
Education in school or in community organizations
Training
Organisation details
NEA ODOS SA
Enterprise
Greece
ATTICA
Contact name
GEORGINA KANAVOU
Telephone number
2103447366
gkanavou@neaodos.gr
Website link
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
"Hellenic Research and Educational Institute for Road Safety"
The «Hellenic Research and Educational Institute for Road Safety, Prevention and Reduction of traffic accidents “Panos Mylonas”» was founded οn May 12, 2005. It is a non-profit Organization founded by University Institutions, private operators, auditors and individuals. The Institute aims to support and promote actions advancing road safety and traffic education, as well as study, research, information and education sectors and initiatives targeting the prevention and reduction of traffic accidents. The main objective of “Panos Mylonas” Institute is raising awareness of citizens and authorities for road safety and moreover, the additional strengthening and support of the greek state in order to provide and enforce effective measures and policies which promote traffic education, road safety and reduction of traffic accidents.
Read more at: https://www.ioas.gr/EN/profile_rsi/
The «Hellenic Research and Educational Institute for Road Safety, Prevention and Reduction of traffic accidents “Panos Mylonas”» was founded οn May 12, 2005. It is a non-profit Organization founded by University Institutions, private operators, auditors and individuals. The Institute aims to support and promote actions advancing road safety and traffic education, as well as study, research, information and education sectors and initiatives targeting the prevention and reduction of traffic accidents. The main objective of “Panos Mylonas” Institute is raising awareness of citizens and authorities for road safety and moreover, the additional strengthening and support of the greek state in order to provide and enforce effective measures and policies which promote traffic education, road safety and reduction of traffic accidents.
Read more at: https://www.ioas.gr/EN/profile_rsi/
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
"Cycling Safely in Action" is an innovative educational program that aims to promote safe cycling, suitable for elementary school students. Through innovative interactive educational activities that combine collaborative learning, the use of digital applications, as well as practice in real road conditions, children learn how to cycle safely and at the same time the road safety rules. In the safe environment of the Traffic Management Park "Sirios", Nea Odos in collaboration with the experienced team of Road Safety Institute (IOAS) "Panos Mylonas", educates every year a lot of students.
This is an initiative that is in complete consistency with Nea Odos’ commitment to promoting road safety by investing in the new generation. Alongside is a continuation of our long-term collaboration with the Institute of Road Safety (I.O.A.S.) "Panos Mylonas", and the "Cycling Safely" Program which started in 2015.
Until today almost 14,000 elementary school students have trained, from all regions of Greece (Central Greece, Thessaly, Epirus and Western Greece) crossed by the highways operated and managed by Nea Odos.
MONEY INVESTMENT 2023: €13,000 / Traffic Training Park €1,000,000
This is an initiative that is in complete consistency with Nea Odos’ commitment to promoting road safety by investing in the new generation. Alongside is a continuation of our long-term collaboration with the Institute of Road Safety (I.O.A.S.) "Panos Mylonas", and the "Cycling Safely" Program which started in 2015.
Until today almost 14,000 elementary school students have trained, from all regions of Greece (Central Greece, Thessaly, Epirus and Western Greece) crossed by the highways operated and managed by Nea Odos.
MONEY INVESTMENT 2023: €13,000 / Traffic Training Park €1,000,000
In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?
Until 2022, the program was implemented within the school environment with a more theoretical point of view, without, of course, reducing its performance.
Ιt was critical to find a suitable place for the children to do the hands-on part of the theoretical training. So we didn't find it, we created it.
We created the "Sirios" traffic management park.
It is safe and specially designed for children in order them to practice how to cycle.
The park is located at the place with the same name Malakasas Sirios Motorist Service Station, 30-minute drive distance from Athens city center
So far, we have invested more than 1 million euros for the park and we are continuing to enrich it.
Sirios is α contemporary, safe park, compliant with all the required standards ready to embrace the drivers of tomorrow! The children!
In the Park we offer all the necessary equipment (bikes, helmets, knee pads, training materials) and the specialized advisors of IOAS introduce the students to safe cycling and to the standards of the traffic law.
Ιt was critical to find a suitable place for the children to do the hands-on part of the theoretical training. So we didn't find it, we created it.
We created the "Sirios" traffic management park.
It is safe and specially designed for children in order them to practice how to cycle.
The park is located at the place with the same name Malakasas Sirios Motorist Service Station, 30-minute drive distance from Athens city center
So far, we have invested more than 1 million euros for the park and we are continuing to enrich it.
Sirios is α contemporary, safe park, compliant with all the required standards ready to embrace the drivers of tomorrow! The children!
In the Park we offer all the necessary equipment (bikes, helmets, knee pads, training materials) and the specialized advisors of IOAS introduce the students to safe cycling and to the standards of the traffic law.
Evaluation
Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).
please check the detailed pdf files ( feedback forms & statistics)
What has been the effect of the activities?
The result is continuous and is as follows: All these children (14.000 ) who today are trained to ride a bicycle correctly and follow the rules of the road, will be the consistent drivers of the future. In this way, road accidents will be reduced to a minimum, the reason why this program was started.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
The "Cycling Safely" program contributes significantly to the cultivation of a culture of road safety. The students are introduced to the safe use of the bicycle, they learn the basic "safety" equipment of the cyclist and the bicycle, they come into contact with examples that lead to the adoption of correct road behavior and at the same time they are informed about our rights, but also our obligations when driving in the road. In this way, as today's bicycle drivers, but also very likely tomorrow's car or motorbike drivers, they become familiar with the rules of the road and develop from a very early age a sense of responsibility both towards other drivers and towards pedestrians. Therefore, the program contributes significantly to the cultivation of general Road Safety education and lays the first seeds for the formation of a correct road culture, which will accompany children in their subsequent adult journeys.
At the same time, the experiential nature of the program (at the Traffic Education Park – see innovation below), makes it both an effective and popular program, as it ensures the direct participation of children and is interactive in nature. The active participation of children, practice and learning through play, offer important resources to the student covering the lack of corresponding activities from formal education.
From 2015 to today, we have educated 14,000 children nationwide. (total investment €168,000)
At the same time, the experiential nature of the program (at the Traffic Education Park – see innovation below), makes it both an effective and popular program, as it ensures the direct participation of children and is interactive in nature. The active participation of children, practice and learning through play, offer important resources to the student covering the lack of corresponding activities from formal education.
From 2015 to today, we have educated 14,000 children nationwide. (total investment €168,000)
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
press releases
advertorials in sites
social media posts
participation in awards
presentations in related conferences
advertorials in sites
social media posts
participation in awards
presentations in related conferences
Supporting materials
