Youth traffic school opened on Jacobs University’s campus

Children of class 4b of the primary school Alt-Aumund were the first to train cycling at the Youth traffic school at Jacobs University; behind them in the picture (from left): Senator Dr. Claudia Bogedan, Gisela Fröhlich (Landesverkehrswacht), Fritz Buchtmann (ADAC), André Backhaus (Sparkasse Bremen), Gerhard Thielbar (Verkehrswacht Bremen-Nord), Verena Nölle (Schulexpress) and Prof. Dr. Michael Hülsmann (Jacobs University).

September 06, 2018

How do I sit correctly and safely in the saddle? How do I drive around curves on a scooter? What do the different traffic signs mean? At the new traffic training area on the outdoor grounds of Jacobs University Bremen, day-care and primary school children can gain confidence in handling their bicycles and scooters and learn which behavior is correct and important in road traffic. This includes foresighted and considerate driving as well as the correct assessment of traffic situations and dangers in road traffic. The training takes place on an excitingly designed traffic course.

On the very first day, two fourth grades of the primary school Alt Aumund practiced cycling. The youth traffic school was created by a joint initiative of Verkehrswacht Bremen-Nord and the working group "aber sicher", consisting of ADAC, ADFC, Police Bremen, Schulexpress, Sparkasse Bremen, Unfallkasse Bremen, and Landesverkehrswacht Jacobs University makes a part of its premises available for this purpose free of charge. The traffic training area in Vahr, which is used by many school classes from all over Bremen, serves as a model for the training area version in Bremen-Nord. Since the distances from Bremen-Nord to Vahr are very long, the working group "aber sicher" has looked for a place in the north of Bremen that is easily accessible for all local schools.

Children of class 4b of the primary school Alt-Aumund were the first to train cycling at the Youth traffic school at Jacobs University.

I am very happy about the new traffic training area in Bremen-Nord", explained Dr. Claudia Bogedan, Bremen's Senator for Children and Education, who came to the opening of the training area. "The driving with the scooter and the wheel must be practiced frequently. This is especially important when children come from cultures where cycling is not part of everyday life. Among other things, children learn to keep their lanes correctly at the new practice area. This trains motor skills and is not easy for some young people. Knowledge of traffic rules and assessment of traffic situations are also necessary. I would particularly like to thank Jacobs University for providing the outside area. But of course also Verena Nölle from Schulexpress and Gerhard Thielbar from Verkehrswacht Bremen-Nord for their untiring commitment and the idea to build this traffic school".

"As a university, we are a place of learning. That is why we are happy when even the youngest on our campus can acquire knowledge," emphasized Prof. Dr. Michael Hülsmann, President of Jacobs University. "The earlier motor skills and traffic rules are trained, the safer children can move in traffic. In order to practice this, they need appropriate opportunities. Providing these is a social task which we are happy to contribute to by making part of our university campus available for this purpose. Good neighbourliness depends on the readiness to help. Schulexpress and Verkehrswacht support children in Bremen-Nord - and that is why we are happy to help."

Schools can contact the youth traffic school for further information and to make an appointment at the following e-mail address: verkehrsschule-nord [at] gmx.de