Another Safety Day, organized as part of the Hello ICE program, took place in Warsaw’s Wawer district. The children’s favorite – Budi the tiger handed out reflectors and ICE cards, led students across the road and took part in various educational games.
From the early hours of the morning, Budi led students heading to lessons through a dangerous pedestrian crossing in the vicinity of Primary School No. 128 in Warsaw.
With the mascot of the Hello ICE program, a Siberian tiger named Budi, the children could feel safe. Equipped with an orange vest and a large “STOP” sign, the hero was visible to drivers from afar. Drivers slowed down when they saw a 2-meter tiger on the road, and children eagerly grabbed the friendly ambassador of the program by the paw. In addition to Budi, a representative of the fire brigade also told the children about road safety and more, to whom the children could also ask questions that bothered them.
During the Safety Day, there were also employees from Budimex, which is the originator and organiser of the Hello ICE programme. They told the students about the safety rules on the construction site. After the educational part, it was time to play together with Budi, during which the “Hospital for Stuffed Animals” returned, which was the hit of the first Safety Day, which took place in September in Puławy.
Warsaw students received reflectors that they will attach to their backpacks or jackets. These simple gadgets are a great way to improve visibility on the road. They also serve as an information card on which the guardians will enter their contact details. All this to ensure the safety of children, especially in the upcoming winter. Unfortunately, dusk comes faster and faster, and for more than two months of the year, some students come and go from school when it’s dark. This increases the risk of a tragic accident, especially if the infrastructure surrounding educational institutions does not meet safety requirements.
As police statistics show, the number of road accidents with children as pedestrians is decreasing every year. This is a reason to be happy and an example that educational programs such as Hello ICE fulfill their role. Greater awareness of threats and methods of preventing them is an opportunity for further, consistent reduction of tragic statistics. Although it is impossible to completely eliminate accidents at the current level of technical development, we can influence the effects of unfortunate events and protect our loved ones through appropriate education.
