In the coming weeks, thousands of children will walk and cycle to school for the first time. Or get driven in a car. And according to the Emergency Police, not all drivers are equally attentive when driving children to and from school. Harald Husum is a police chief in the Emergency Police Photo: Per Håkon Solberg / news – We see that children are dropped off in bus pockets and other places that can create dangerous situations, says police chief in UP Harald Husum. So far this year, there have been as many people killed on Norwegian roads as in the whole of last year combined. – We have these campaigns at the start of school to avoid the most serious accidents that can occur when many people are going out on the road for the first time, explains Husum. The emergency police in collaboration with local police throughout the country have for many years held campaigns at the start of school. This year it is week 33 and week 34. In addition to speed and drug control, the police must check whether children are properly secured in cars. Police officer Morten Visdal in UP and colleagues across the country will have checks at the start of school in the next few weeks. Photo: Anders Haualand / news – Important to weed out the most dangerous For Trygg Trafikk, it is important that the police are visible at the start of school, says press manager Christoffer Solstad Steen. Christoffer Solstad Steen is press manager at Trygg Trafikk Photo: Trygg Trafikk – Just because school starts, people don’t stop driving too fast or being intoxicated, and it is important that we stop the most dangerous drivers, says Steen. In 2021, three children between the ages of 6 and 15 were killed in traffic, according to Trygg Trafikk. 27 were seriously injured and 218 were slightly injured. There are accidents in general and not specified where. Record number of speeding fines The police patrols report the results from the actions at the start of school, but UP does not have any aggregate statistics, according to police chief Harald Husum. But so far this year, a record number of drivers have received simplified notices or speeding fines in UP’s controls. – Yes, last year more than 107,000 drivers received a simplified warning for speeding. While almost 64,000 have been distributed so far this year, says Husum. If the development continues, this year there will be more driving license seizures due to speeding and intoxication than last year. UP’s laser checks will also be an important part of the checks at the start of school around the country. Photo: Anders Haualand / news Concerned about accidents with electric scooters, Husum says that it is not only car drivers who must be checked. Students also need guidance on how and where to cross the road. Especially students on bicycles and electric scooters. – There are new rules and we are afraid that many people have not understood them. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to use electric scooters and children under the age of 15 must wear a helmet, says Husum. Recently, a 14-year-old on an electric scooter in Trøndelag was stopped for 60 km per hour without a helmet. This may be what meets you at Norwegian schools and school roads in the coming weeks. Photo: Anders Haualand / news That there will be an extra eye on electric kick cyclists at the start of school this year is a good thing, says Steen in Trygg Trafikk. Because there have been many accidents with electric scooters. – It is a demanding vehicle to use in complicated traffic conditions. We encourage everyone under the age of 12 to let the electric scooter they have bought or received rest until they are old enough, says Steen. First of all, the emergency police will explain the new rules. But if there are very serious conditions, the case is taken over by the local police. Rules for using a mobile phone in the car It is forbidden to talk on a hand-held mobile phone while driving. If the mobile phone is fixed or connected via bluetooth, you can make calls and hang up with hands-free equipment. Touching the screen of a mobile phone you are holding in your hand is not allowed when you are driving. If it is connected with bluetooth or hands-free solutions, as a button on the steering wheel, you can: – Call. – Hang up. – Find contacts in the address list. If you have your mobile next to you, with a cord to your ear, you can receive calls as long as there is an answer button on the cord. Other electronic equipment, such as tablets, must also not be used when you drive. Retrieved from the National Road Administration’s website. Better conditions at many schools According to Police Superintendent Harald Husum in the UP, fortunately it is far between each time very serious conditions are discovered during school inspections. But every year there are drivers who are stopped for not wearing a seat belt, talking on a mobile phone, not securing the children or who drive drunk or drive way too fast, says Husum.
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