Child (11) seriously injured in tragic bicycle accident in Krugsdorf!

Child (11) seriously injured in tragic bicycle accident in Krugsdorf!

In a tragic incident in Krugsdorf, Vorpommern-Greifswald, an eleven-year-old child was seriously injured in a traffic accident on Tuesday afternoon, July 1, around 1:20 p.m. According to the Ostsee newspaper, the accident occurred when the 18-year-old driver came towards the child who rides on his bike. The child drove on the wrong side of the street, which also endangered the situation. The collision led the child to be taken to the hospital immediately.

The police estimate the property damage incurred at around 2,350 euros. Even if the exact severity of the child's injuries is not known at the current time, the case again shows the danger that young road users are particularly exposed to. Despite the positive development in recent years, in which the number of injured children is declining overall in traffic accidents, the focus is on traffic safety.

Development of traffic safety for children

A look at the child accident atlas of the Federal Agency for Roads (BAST) shows that in the period between 2015 and 2019, the disposal load for pedestrians and cyclists was reduced by 24.6% and 26.3%. Nevertheless, the regional differences are significant, and it turns out that there are different risks depending on the type of transport. Especially in rural areas, the disposal load for car inmates is high, while cyclists are most at risk in central cities. The Atlas aims to develop effective traffic safety measures in order to continue to minimize the risk of children.

The methodology of the Atlass includes accidents from children up to 14 years and analyzes the data to the municipal level. In particular, school pathways for elementary school students, cycling training for 10- to 14 year olds and the address of parents to promote independent traffic participation are essential factors to move children safer on road traffic. Even if the safety in road traffic has improved in recent decades, there is still a need for action to further reduce the risk of accidents for our youngest.

As the current incident illustrates in Krugsdorf, children are still at high risk today. The region still has a lot to do here to further increase traffic safety. It is hoped that such tragic events will be drawn to prevent similar accidents in the future.

For more information on this topic, it is advisable to take a look at the children's accident atlas of the bast and the detailed reports of the Ostsee-Zeitung.