Good practices

Traditional driving license training often relies on printed books and passive learning methods, leading to a lack of engagement and incomplete comprehension of critical road safety concepts. Young learners, in particular, benefit from interactive and digital learning experiences. The Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV) recognized this gap and developed the mobile and web app "Yarrive" to enhance road safety education through a modern, interactive, and gamified approach. The objective is to shift from rote memorization to true understanding, ultimately improving driver competence and road safety.

The Technical Day held at Braslovče Primary School on February 23, 2024, in collaboration with the VOZIM Institute, was both practical and educational. The students were first introduced to the DRAJV app and analyzed traffic safety in the municipality. During the event, they created posters and presented proposals to improve safety, which were also supported by Mayor Tomaž Žohar. The students participated in activities at seven stations, including an e-scooter simulator and workshops led by representatives from the Police, the Braslovče Fire Department, and the Žalec Health Center. The VOZIM Institute ambassador, Janez Hudej, shared his personal story about a traffic accident, which gave the students a deeper insight into the seriousness of road safety. The event emphasized the importance of involving young people in shaping road safety solutions.

REMOVING TRAFFIC CONGESTION

We conducted an experiment at the JRC (Ispra, Italy) in a controlled traffic environment to ensure safety. The test consisted of a platoon of vehicles with the following configuration:

A first vehicle with a human driver following his usual behaviour on the road.
A second vehicle equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).
Several conventional drivers keeping their safe distance.
Multiple tests were conducted with different groups of drivers, who were given inertial driving training.

The results have been surprising:
✅ Increased road safety.
✅ Significant reduction of traffic jams (better mobility).
✅ Lower fuel consumption and reduced pollutant emissions.
✅ More relaxed driving and less stress for drivers.

The event focuses on an initiative aimed at improving road safety for young people, especially e-scooter and e-bike users. A survey by Zavarovalnica Triglav showed that only a little over half of young people feel safe when riding an e-scooter, and many have already experienced accidents. The lack of protective clothing, helmets, and reflective accessories contributes to greater risks. In the "Ne bluzi, z glavo kruzi" (Don’t Play It Cool, Use Your Head) initiative, the Vozim Institute, Zavarovalnica Triglav, and Yootree Creative agency collaborated to encourage safer e-scooter use among young people. By working with design students, they created a unique collection, "Dejmo se videt" (Let's Be Seen), of reflective clothing that combines safety with modern style. The collection was presented on October 17, 2024, at Ljubljana Fashion Week.The students used innovative reflective materials to design fashionable yet safe products. The collection was presented at Ljubljana Fashion Week, where it gained significant attention. The goal was to raise awareness about the importance of visibility in traffic, especially during the autumn and winter months. The initiative continues with workshops and public events, aiming for the products to become part of young people’s everyday style. The main goal of the initiative is to reduce the risk of accidents and encourage young people to prioritize safety while maintaining their personal style.

Parents play a crucial role in deciding how their children go to school. Most of the time, they chose which mode of transport their children use and which route they take to reach the school gate. And although cycling to school seems like an obvious choice for many children, for their parents, it is not. Why? Because for parents, safety concerns are decisive and often trump all other considerations. Surveys in the Belgian city of Leuven, for example, show that especially women think traffic in their neighborhood is not safe enough to allow children to cycle to school independently.

That is not just a sad observation, but also one that deserves more scrutiny. Which situations do mothers deem unsafe? And, more importantly, why? What can be done about it, so more parents are comfortable with their children cycling to school?