During the lesson, two questions were central: “How do you get to school?” and “Where is it unsafe on your route?”. The students thought seriously about this and discovered that there are quite a few bottlenecks around the school. This is not surprising, as many children attend this school who are brought by school transport or by car. As a result, it is often busy around the school during drop-off and pick-up times. Cars even park on the sidewalk, making it difficult for children to walk there and causing them to lose their bearings.
Following the guest lesson, the students designed their own traffic sign for the place they consider most unsafe. Three winners emerged from three classes: Wouter (BB1), Jack (BB2), and Lynn (BB3). Jack stood out in particular: he created a sign against parking on the sidewalk, exactly the problem he sees every day. Their designs will be printed on real traffic signs and temporarily placed in public spaces. The festive unveiling will take place on Thursday, May 21, 2026, together with the enforcement officers.
What makes a good traffic sign?
According to Sandra van Breemen from Omgevingseducatie, that is actually quite difficult: “A good traffic sign must be clear at a glance, even when you cycle past it. The winners did a very clever job with that.” She also noticed how much the students already know about traffic: “They could explain exactly whether a sign means 'you must', 'you may not', or 'be careful'. That was really nice to see.” Teacher Leanne van den Heuvel adds that the lesson was more than just being creative: “The children thought about what could be improved in their neighborhood. They felt responsible for their community. That was wonderful to see.”
Part of the Safe to School Action Plan
The guest lesson is part of the Municipality of Hilversum’s 'Action Plan Safe to School and Sports Parks'. Het Mozaïek is one of the first four schools to attend this guest lesson. All primary schools and sports parks will be involved over the next five years. Alderman for Mobility Edwin Göbbels emphasizes the importance of cooperation: “We improve road safety primarily through education and awareness. If necessary, we also take measures in the surrounding area.”
