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Seven-year-old hit on zebra crossing: shock in Heerbrugg!
A 7-year-old boy was hit by a van in Heerbrugg on June 2, 2025. He crossed a zebra crossing.
Seven-year-old hit on zebra crossing: shock in Heerbrugg!
A traffic accident occurred on June 2, 2025 in Heerbrugg, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. At around 4:35 p.m. there was a collision between a 7-year-old boy and a 45-year-old man who was driving a van. The boy was crossing a pedestrian crossing at the traffic lights near the Manor when the accident happened. The exact course of events is still unclear as it is unclear who ignored the light signal. The boy was injured to an unspecified degree and had to be taken to the hospital by the emergency services, as [vol.at](https://www.vol.at/7-jaehriger-auf-zebra stripes-anwegen/9450155) reports.
Road safety is an increasingly important issue, especially for pedestrians. An incident that similarly affected road safety in Heerbrugg in December 2023 shows the ongoing risks in road traffic. There was a collision between a car and a motorcycle in which a 17-year-old motorcyclist suffered undetermined injuries. The 50-year-old driver had intended to turn at a junction to Balgach when he overlooked the motorcyclist who was coming from Au on Auerstrasse. In this case, too, the injured person was taken to hospital in an ambulance and property damage amounting to several thousand francs was caused, as sg.ch reported.
Growing accident rates and pedestrian safety
The current accident statistics from the German Road Safety Council (DVR) make it clear that safety on the roads is an urgent problem. In 2023, 2,839 people died in traffic accidents in Germany, an increase of 1.8% compared to the previous year. Contrary to efforts to increase road safety, the number of injured pedestrians has increased in recent years. The President of the DVR, Manfred Wirsch, calls for greater consideration of pedestrian safety in traffic policy. Particular attention is being paid to the upcoming amendment to the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO), which is intended to enable municipalities to arrange zebra crossings without proof of a particular risk. This could also have an impact on children's safety, as in the case of the boy in Heerbrugg who used the pedestrian crossing.
The DPR has put forward ten key demands to improve road safety, including measures to monitor traffic and set appropriate maximum speeds. In particular, it should be noted that the 30 km/h speed limit can be set more easily in the future near playgrounds and busy school routes. These changes are intended to help increase road safety for pedestrians and children and prevent such tragic accidents.