Serbia Ramps Up School Zone Traffic Checks Today
Serbia's traffic police began stepped up checks today on speeding, crossings and child transport near every elementary school, after data showed one child killed and 21 injured over five years.
The Traffic Police Directorate of Serbia’s Interior Ministry (MUP) began enhanced traffic controls today, September 1, in the zones around every elementary school in the country. The measure was announced ahead of the new school year to make children’s trips to and from school safer.
The ministry released its statement on the evening of August 31, the day before classes resumed.
What officers are checking
Police will be stationed in school zones before classes start and after they end, when the streets carry the most students. Officers are focused on four violations:
- speeding
- failing to yield to pedestrians at crossings
- improperly transporting children in vehicles
- illegal stopping and parking in school zones
For child transport, officers will also check that seat belts and appropriate child seats are being used, in line with regulations.
Why the timing matters
Alongside this year’s announcement, MUP published five year injury data for school zones for the first time. According to that data, one child has died in a traffic accident in a school zone over the past five years, and 21 children have been seriously injured.
During last year’s “Skola” (School) campaign, traffic police recorded more than 21,000 traffic violations in school zones over a month and a half of enforcement. The ministry has urged all road users to exercise particular caution in school zones and drive responsibly.
The school zone controls arrive as road safety is already a pressing issue. According to an earlier report from Srpske novine, 272 people have died on Serbia’s roads since the start of the year.
