Ensuring a safe way to school together

As the schools begin, the Helsinki Police Symphonic Band and the Helsinki Police Department’s traffic control function want to draw attention to the safety of children on their way to school with their song “Kautta kiven ja kannon”.

“Everyone using roads and streets are responsible for ensuring traffic safety. Especially at the start of the school year, there are many children on the streets by themselves for the first time who are still practicing the traffic rules. The police encourages both adults and children to pay attention to their own safety and that of others using streets and roads,” says chief inspector Dennis Pasterstein, director of the Helsinki Police Department’s traffic control function.

The Helsinki Police Symphonic Band and the Helsinki Police Department’s traffic control function have together released a music video of the song “Kautta kiven ja kannon” (“Cross My Heart”). The new song, composed by Onni Lonka, the guitarist of the police band, deals with traveling the route to school and traffic safety. A music video of the song can be viewed together with the whole family, and traffic rules can be discussed at the same time. 

Let’s ensure a safe way to school together!

Parents, rehearse these things with your children who are going to school

• The safe route to school should be practiced several times together.
• Pay attention to others on the road: pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and people using other means of transport.
• Visual obstructions such as shrubs and fences create places of danger. Always look to the left, right and once more to the left when crossing a street. 
• Use a pedestrian crossing carefully and ensure that others will see you.
• It is not safe to use a phone in traffic. Focus carefully on what is happening on the street.

The Helsinki Police Symphonic Band is conducted by chief conductor Sami Ruusuvuori. The lead singer for the “Kautta kiven ja kannon” song is its composer, Onni Lonka.