Flemish schools kick off 10th annual winter visibility campaign for pupils

More than 1,600 nursery and primary schools across Flanders launched a campaign on Monday to promote visibility and safety for children travelling to school during the darker winter months. Now in its tenth year, the initiative is organised by the Flemish Foundation for Traffic Knowledge (VSV).

With participation increasing annually, the campaign - dubbed Helm Op Fluo Top in Dutch - today reaches almost half of all nursery and primary schools in Flanders, involving 428,446 pupils. Children earn stickers on a collection card for each day they wear a fluorescent vest on their way to school, with rewards provided by sponsors including outdoor store AS Adventure, theme parks Bobbejaanland and Mini-Europe, and Antwerp Zoo

Traffic safety campaigns like this remain essential, according to VSV and the Flemish government. “Despite significant attention and investment in traffic safety, the decline in traffic injuries has stalled,” said Annick De Ridder, the new Flemish minister of mobility. “Extra visibility and protection are crucial to ensuring safer journeys to school for our children.”

Wearing a fluorescent vest makes cyclists visible up to 150 metres in the dark, compared to only 20 metres with dark clothing, VSV notes. Helmets also reduce the risk of serious head injuries by more than 60%.

This year’s campaign also includes a theme song performed by The Voice Kids winner Sikhudani, who launched the event on Monday morning in Dessel, Antwerp Province.

^{#FlandersNewsService | Two schoolchildren with fluorescent vests and helmets ride on a bike lane © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM}