Safe roads for our children: Truck workshop in Gloggnitz inspires!

Safe roads for our children: Truck workshop in Gloggnitz inspires!

An educational workshop took place in Gloggnitz, which taught elementary school students about the importance of trucks in everyday life. Many children don't know that nine out of ten foods are transported by truck. In addition, modern trucks are subject to strict emissions standards, highlighting their impact on the environment. In collaboration with H.-J. Erhart GmbH from Payerbach, the topic of road safety was placed at the center of these events.

The children of the three 3rd grade classes actively participated in the workshops, which were led by Manuel Weinold and the workshop leader Elke Winkler. With interactive exercises, they learned about the stopping distance of a truck and how important the safety distance and awareness of blind spots are. These aspects were demonstrated on a real vehicle, which clearly explained the often complicated traffic rules to the students.

Interactive learning methods

A highlight for the children was sitting behind the wheel of a truck themselves. However, this was more than just a fun moment: it was an opportunity for them to gain hands-on learning experience and check the viewing angle from the cab. “Through floor markings and traffic cones, the children were able to actively participate and understand important elements of road traffic in a playful way,” reported Winkler.

Markus Fischer, specialist group chairman for the Lower Austrian freight transport industry in the Lower Austrian Economic Chamber, emphasized the central role of the transport industry for our standard of living. He explained: “Road safety is an extremely important concern for us, especially for children and young people.” The workshop is intended to help raise awareness of these topics in early school years.

At the end of the event, the students received a certificate that recognized the elementary school as an “institution that particularly cares about the road safety of its students.” This honor confirmed the success of the workshop and the efforts to create security awareness.

The workshops are part of an initiative that was launched in 2016 by the “Freight Transport Industry” specialist group of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce. Originally designed only for elementary schools, middle schools have also been included in the campaign since May 2019. With over 10,400 students reached to date, there is great interest in this important topic, which goes beyond knowledge and aims to make children safer road users.