Children do not cycle safely: ADAC study reveals major shortcomings

A recent survey of parents conducted by the ADAC Foundation shows that, whilst 96 per cent of four- to twelve-year-olds in Germany can ride a bike, there are significant gaps in their knowledge of key cycling skills. According to their parents’ assessment, 38 per cent of seven- to nine-year-olds have not mastered either looking over their shoulder safely or riding with one hand – and therefore cannot give clear hand signals. Even amongst 10 to 12-year-olds, the proportion is still more than 20 per cent – even though it is precisely these skills that are crucial when children participate independently in road traffic. The findings are based on an online survey of 1,010 parents, carried out by We are Family Research in May 2026.

Teachers confirm: attention is the real problem

The results of the parents’ survey are consistent with findings from a teachers’ survey conducted by the ADAC Foundation in the spring: according to this, 47 per cent of children suffer from significant attention deficits in road traffic, in the teachers’ view. 36 per cent have difficulty reacting appropriately in critical situations. Accident statistics highlight just how important it is to provide practice opportunities: in 2025, 74 children under the age of 15 died in road traffic accidents in Germany, 13 of whom were cycling. Around 29,200 children were injured – on average, one child was injured every 18 minutes.

Parents have a responsibility – school alone is not enough

More than half of the parents surveyed (52 per cent) see it as their primary responsibility to teach children how to behave safely on the roads. 36 per cent regard this as a joint responsibility of parents and the school, whilst only around ten per cent attribute the responsibility predominantly to the school. Cycling training provided by schools is generally viewed positively: 83 per cent of parents believe that it teaches essential skills for road safety. Through a Germany-wide back-to-school campaign, the ADAC Foundation aims to raise awareness among parents, children, teachers and other road users about a safe journey to school, and is providing information materials and practical suggestions free of charge. The message also serves as a call to abandon the ‘parent taxi’: Children need the opportunity to develop road safety skills for themselves. Those who use the holidays for joint cycling trips and targeted practice can help ensure that the bicycle becomes not just a leisure activity, but a safe means of transport for the daily journey to school. Further information: www.stiftung.adac.de

Editorial assessment

​The findings of the ADAC Foundation study make it clear: children do not learn to cycle safely at school alone. Looking over their shoulder, cycling with one hand and reacting correctly in situations where visibility is poor must be practised regularly and in a practical way. Parents can play a big part in this, for example on bike rides together, on quiet roads or in a traffic playground. In this way, the bicycle gradually becomes a safe means of transport for the journey to school and everyday life.