Children 0-16

Glavni izazovi sigurnosti u prometu kojima se projekt „Matematika na cesti” sustavno bavi odnose se na kombinaciju ponašanja sudionika u prometu, nedostatka prometne kulture te nedovoljne povezanosti teorijskog znanja i stvarnih situacija u svakodnevnom okruženju.
Jedan od ključnih problema je neprepoznavanje i nedovoljno razumijevanje prometnih znakova i pravila, osobito kod djece i mladih sudionika u prometu. To uključuje pravilno kretanje pješaka, sigurno prelazak ceste te uočavanje potencijalno opasnih situacija u lokalnim naseljima.
Dodatni izazov je nepažnja i distrakcija u prometu, koja se sve češće pojavljuje zbog korištenja mobilnih uređaja i smanjene koncentracije sudionika, što povećava rizik od nesreća.
Projekt se također bavi problemom nedovoljne povezanosti prometne sigurnosti s nastavnim sadržajima, posebno u matematici i ostalim predmetima. Učenici često uče prometna pravila izolirano, bez razumijevanja njihove stvarne primjene.
Poseban izazov predstavlja i potreba za jačanjem prometne kulture u ruralnim sredinama, gdje je infrastruktura raznolika, a prometna opterećenost varira.
Kroz projekt se ovi izazovi nastoje prevladati integriranim pristupom, praktičnim aktivnostima, video materijalima, kvizovima i suradnjom s policijom i stručnim institucijama, s ciljem stvaranja dugoročno sigurnijeg ponašanja u prometu.

Romania has historically faced one of the lowest rates of child restraint system use in the European Union. In 2019, European data indicated that only around one quarter of child passengers were transported using appropriate child restraint systems. This reflected a broader road safety challenge: high child injury and fatality risks linked to improper restraint, misuse of car seats, and limited parental awareness.

The main challenges addressed by our initiative include:

• low usage rates of child restraint systems
• incorrect installation and misuse of car seats
• lack of parental awareness regarding age-appropriate restraint systems
• widespread misconceptions influenced by marketing, informal advice, and outdated practices
• limited access to evidence-based guidance and professional counselling
• insufficient integration of child passenger safety education into healthcare and community services
• socio-economic disparities affecting access to safety information and equipment

Additionally, parents often receive conflicting information and lack practical, hands-on guidance on proper installation and safe transportation practices.

These challenges contribute to preventable injuries and fatalities among child passengers and hinder progress toward EU road safety targets.

Our initiative addresses these systemic barriers through education, professional training, community outreach, and evidence-based awareness programs designed to improve correct usage and long-term behavioral change.

The campaign promotes helmet wearing, among others, when riding a bicycle, scooter, e-scooter, skateboard. It responds to micromobility users , e-scooters and cyclists safety. Every year in Poland many crashes occur in which children suffer serious head and brain injuries – and most of these could be avoided if wearing a properly fitted helmet.

In the Pasavček project, the focus lies on rule learning that contributes to road safety (correct use of child restraint systems and seatbelt use, but consequently also rules for pedestrians, passengers, etc., depending on the age of the children and the learning objectives of the teachers). The project initially started as part of the international EUCHIRES project and is thanks to its success still active today.

Children and adolescents are among the most frequently involved road users in road traffic accidents and often suffer the most severe consequences, also as passengers in vehicles. Consistently ensuring that children are properly buckled up while driving could significantly reduce this risk.

In the Pasavček project, the focus lies on rule learning that contributes to road safety (correct use of child restraint systems and seatbelt use, but consequently also rules for pedestrians, passengers, etc., depending on the age of the children and the learning objectives of the teachers). The project initially started as part of the international EUCHIRES project and is thanks to its success still active today.

Children and adolescents are among the most frequently involved road users in road traffic accidents and often suffer the most severe consequences, also as passengers in vehicles. Consistently ensuring that children are properly buckled up while driving could significantly reduce this risk.

The first major challenge was to make this pastoral action known within the Church's own structure in Ourense. The CEE's Road Pastoral Department was created in Spain more than 50 years ago, but in many dioceses, no initiatives are carried out and priests are unaware of it. The surprising thing was that families, communities, and neighbors, as soon as we began working on these initiatives, began to follow us, asking for more action, and feeling supported in the loneliness caused by the loss of a loved one, a friend, a neighbor, or a car accident. Every year, the number of people participating in the scheduled sessions increases.

The core problem is that children in Greece grow up with little or no mobility education. There is no structured cultivation of what it means to be a responsible, aware participant in shared road environments. Most students have never experienced what it means to move safely, to share space, or to recognize the needs of vulnerable users (such as people with disabilities, pedestrians, or cyclists).
Our initiative targets children aged 0–16 and promotes safe and sustainable mobility through education in schools in the Municipality of Chania, Crete. We do not approach road safety simply as accident prevention — we view it as a cultural issue: How do we perceive movement in public space? How do we respect pedestrians, cyclists, and especially children?
Our programme fills this gap by offering an immersive, experience-based approach through Virtual Reality (VR) technology — placing children in realistic traffic situations where they learn by living the experience, not just reading about it.
The goal is not just to “prevent harm.” It is to help them move through the world with awareness, respect, and a sense of belonging in a community that moves together.

Children and young people (till 25 years old) make up 41% of the world’s population (United Nations, 2024) and about 25% of this age group is represented in the EU population (Eurostat, 2024). They are an active group, often dependent on public space for movement and social interaction. Yet, that public space is not designed with them in mind, nor does it reflect their world and needs. This has consequences. Every day in Flanders, an average of 10 students (aged 3 to 18) are involved in traffic crashes on their way to school (VIAS Institute, 2019–2023). Over 60% of those victims were walking or cycling. In Europe there were still 455 fatalities amongst children and 2 388 fatalities amongst youth which shows that mobility is not yet inclusive, safe and of high quality for all.
Poorly adapted public space brings dangers and challenges, but it also has more subtle barriers. Children and young people are becoming increasingly less physically active. Regular movement is however essential for both their physical and mental health. One way to encourage this movement is by promoting walking and cycling from an early stage and at a young age.
Inadequate public space also negatively affects the independence of children and young people. About a quarter of students in Flanders are driven by car even for short trips between home and school. That’s unfortunate, because travelling independently helps children learn how to navigate their environment, assess risks, and interact with other road users. This builds confidence and equips them with the skills—and the right—to travel alone.

The 'EuroTarn' Association was set up in 1997 (by myself) to encourage young people to discover the countries of the European Union, and thus learn about other European cultures and languages. The association's motto from the outset was to inspire young people to 'move in a moving world'.
Between 1997 and 2007, we developed Universities exchanges with various regions. In 2007, we created some actions to attract young people (in the Tarn area) to be more interested in Europe, and to develop their 'European citizenship' and their feeling of belonging to a same European community; And Road safety was one of the very first topic that we decided to tackle with the very first European day of Road safety in April 2007. Therefore we decided to run campaigns to talk about Road safety and... Europe, and we decided to start to visit schools to educate young people.