08
May
2023
|
08:00
Europe/Amsterdam

MAN road safety campaign for children enters fourth round: focus on blind spots

Summary

Making road traffic as safe as possible is one of MAN Truck & Bus' main concerns. That is why MAN launched a road safety campaign for schoolchildren in 2020, which is now taking place for the fourth time: Experts from local road safety associations and MAN ProfiDrive are showing more than 3,500 children from primary schools in the Munich district what is important when handling a bus. The training sessions focus on the blind spot.

  • To protect the most vulnerable road users: MAN Truck & Bus continues road safety campaign
  • Successful start with specially designed MAN city bus and FC Bayern München legend Giovane Elber
  • More than 3,500 children at 20 events until June at primary schools in and around Munich
  • Innovative technology: active warning turn-off assistant with pedestrian detection to increase safety and prevent accidents 
     

According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 22,300 children were involved in road traffic accidents in Germany in 2021. On average, a child under the age of 15 was injured every 24 minutes. There are many reasons for these accidents, but children often make mistakes when crossing the road. Dangerous situations also often arise at intersections when drivers overlook children on foot, on scooters or on bicycles when turning. For this reason, this year's road safety campaign, like last year's, focuses on blind spot training.

As part of the campaign, road safety experts, together with trainers from the training provider MAN ProfiDrive, are holding a total of 20 events at various primary schools in the city and district of Munich to show the children what to look out for when handling a bus and how they should behave in order to reach their destination safely. Over 3,500 children from grades 1 to 4 also learn what is important when crossing intersections and where blind spots can occur. "Verkehrswacht München is very pleased to be able to work together with MAN again this year to teach the pupils about blind spot training on buses, which is so valuable," says Gertraud Beck, Managing Director of “Verkehrswacht München” road safety association.

Stars of the launch event: MAN Lion's City and Giovane Elber

The kick-off event of the road safety campaign took place in mid-April at the Jagfeldring primary school in Haar. The MAN Lion's City, which was specially designed for the campaign, and FC Bayern Munich legend Giovane Elber caused particular enthusiasm among the children. "I am very pleased to be involved in this year's MAN road safety education. As a family man, road safety for children is naturally very close to my heart. It's great that the long-standing partnership between MAN and FC Bayern is being used for such an important campaign," said Elber.

The MAN Lion's City is on tour so that the children can learn and practise hands-on how to wait for the bus, how to line up properly, what to look out for when the bus arrives at the stop, what to watch out for when getting on and off the bus, how to behave on the bus and how to sit properly with school bags. In addition, an orange triangular tarpaulin is used to demonstrate how large the blind spot of a bus is. "When the children realise and experience for themselves how limited the visibility is for the driver, it is much more effective than purely theoretical lessons. They memorise what they learn better that way," says Heinz Kiess, Head of Product Marketing Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. And Lisa Alonso Sánchez, the teacher in charge at the Jagdfeldring primary school in Haar, confirms: "The MAN road safety education is a very important campaign to show our pupils the dangers in road traffic and to teach them the correct behaviour on the bus."

Further training and innovative technology to protect children

MAN Truck & Bus launched the road safety education for schoolchildren back in 2020. This year it is taking place for the fourth time. "Our aim is to make a significant contribution to ensuring that the youngest road users are as safe as possible on the roads," emphasises Kiess. To achieve this goal, MAN relies on further education and training for drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians, but also on innovative technology. Among other things, drivers receive special support in urban traffic from the active warning turn-off assistant with pedestrian detection - an effective measure against accidents caused by blind spots. Front and side cameras automatically monitor the surroundings, and the driver is warned visually and acoustically of dangerous situations and collisions. "It is a real concern of ours to make our roads as safe as possible. That is why we put all our experience and commitment into measures such as the road safety campaign, but also into the development of new systems," Heinz Kiess makes clear.