Police to focus on traffic control in the vicinity of schools

The Finnish police will intensify traffic control in the vicinity of schools over the next few weeks.

"The aim is to prevent road accidents and to ensure schoolchildren have a safe journey to and from school," the National Police Board said in a statement.

The Police will mainly monitor traffic speeds and compliance with road safety rules at pedestrian crossings.

Monitoring will also target the behaviour of vulnerable road users in traffic, compliance with traffic signals, the use of safety devices and factors causing inattentiveness in traffic.

"The presence of the Police and above all visible monitoring have a calming effect on traffic and add to the sense of safety of children and also to the safety of school journeys," says Superintendent Heikki Kallio at the National Police Board.

Speed controls

Attention will also be paid to the safe stopping or parking of vehicles in accordance with the Road Traffic Act when dropping children off at school or picking them up from school.

Speeds will be monitored especially in the vicinity of schools and in other risk spots in built-up areas.

"Drivers need to take into account the importance of sufficiently low speed and show particular caution now that road-users include very young schoolchildren with less traffic awareness," Kallio points out.