Road safety organisations report that young children in the Netherlands are starting to cycle later and with less confidence, pointing to cargo bikes, cars and busier cycle paths as major factors.
Motoring organisation ANWB has noticed during practical lessons that pupils increasingly struggle to balance, get on and off smoothly, or check their surroundings without swerving, according to RTL Nieuws.
Veilig Verkeer Nederland representative Puck Bakema told ANP that while cargo bikes offer convenience, relying on them leaves children less self-reliant and lacking essential traffic experience.
The safety group noted that poor performance on traffic exams has become so noticeable that it occasionally advises some children against taking the test.
Guidelines for young riders
Safety experts recommend introducing balance bikes as soon as a toddler learns to walk so they can get used to speed and balance early on.
Veilig Verkeer Nederland advises parents to cycle alongside their children as soon as possible, stating that an eight-year-old should no longer sit inside a cargo bike.
By age nine or ten, children generally possess the mental development required to cycle to school independently, the organisation said.
Movement scientist Pim Koolwijk told RTL Nieuws that school cycling lessons cannot fully offset a lack of practice at home, noting that busy paths, e-bikes and the inability of some families to afford bicycles also reduce opportunities to learn.
School street measures
Infrastructure Minister Vincent Karremans also called on parents to leave cars and cargo bikes behind, describing school gates between 8:20 and 8:30 in the morning as chaotic and unsafe.
Speaking to pupils at the Mgr. Huibersschool in Haarlem, Karremans backed a planned school street scheme that closes the road to motorised traffic around drop-off times with a simple bollard and a volunteer, reported WNL.
