Primary school

In traffic you are never alone. There are always other road users. You must always make sure that your safety and that of other road users is not put at risk unnecessarily. As soon as someone is on the public road, they must make sure they have a good overview of the road ahead of them. That good overview of the road in front of you is what we call: the image of the road.

People do not all look the same. The same is true for streets and roads. There are asphalt roads and dirt roads. One road can be pleasantly busy and narrow, while another road can be quiet and wide. On a quiet wide road you might feel alone and isolated. On a narrow and busy road you have to pay close attention. Cars on the busy road may drive more slowly, and on the wide road a little faster. So the image of the road also has a lot to do with the behavior of road users. The image of the road can change from moment to moment. At one moment the road can be quiet and a little later it can become busy. This means you must always pay close attention and be careful.

Even your familiar route from school to home can change.

Imagine that one day there are workers working along the road. You then get a different street scene (= road image).

In an unfamiliar environment the road image can sometimes be very deceptive and misleading. This can be caused by an unexpectedly sharp bend, the absence of a sidewalk, or by bushes along the road. Based on the road image it is wise to determine your position on the road. In other words: your position on the road depends on the image of the road.

If for example workers are working along the road, you may encounter an open and dug-up shoulder. It may then be better not to walk single file but to cross over and walk on the other side. Or you must first check carefully whether it is safe to walk across the road for a moment.

On Sint Maarten the road image can change quickly. A busy tourist area like Philipsburg can suddenly become very crowded when a cruise ship arrives. A quiet road near Cole Bay can change when a construction project starts. Always stay alert and adjust your behavior to what you see around you.

Remember the following:

The appearance of roads:

• Asphalt roads (paved) or dirt roads (unpaved)
• Busy or quiet roads

The behavior of road users:

• Are they driving slowly or fast
• Are there people or animals on the road

Changes in the road image:

• Workers along the road
• Unexpected bends, etc.