Explore&learn
therulesoftraffic

Made in collabaration with
Iamprogrez & IT Randsteden

A project for Veilig Verkeer Nederland.

Making sure everyone is safe in traffic is the ambition of Veilig Verkeer Nederland (Safe Traffic the Netherlands). This social organisation commissioned us to make a Minecraft world helping them achieve this goal. We were to flesh out their primary school teaching method.

We made a game where children can walk around in a digital microcosm of a Dutch city, carefully crafted to be filled with interesting traffic situations. Children have to cycle through it, placing missing traffic signs, and answering questions about situations right in front of them.

Solve traffic problems by placing the right traffic signs.

All around the map, there are people who don’t understand what is going on. Two cars almost crashed into each other, and a car is accidentally entering a bicycle lane, among many others.

By selecting and placing the right traffic signs, the children can help avoid unsafe situations like this in the future and learn a thing or two about traffic signs along the way.

Make Broekpoort a safe city

Placing the traffic signs isn’t the only thing to do, though. The children can talk with every character in the game, each with their questions about rules and regulations. Who has the priority to go first? Is a person walking next to a horse considered a pedestrian, and should they be walking on the sidewalk? Are you allowed to park your bicycle anywhere?

These aren’t just theoretical questions in a book — the situation is right in front of them. As soon as they answer, they get feedback explaining the hows and whys, which they can instantly take into practice.

Why it works.

Traffic safety lessons aren’t the most exciting part of primary school education. Usually, the only parts children actively participate in are the parts where they get to cycle around in the local town. Learning the traffic rules at this stage, however, isn’t the safest option.

By making a Minecraft world where they can play around, we made an engaging, informative, and, most importantly, safe way for children to learn the ropes.

Because we are asking questions about situations right in front of them, there can be no misunderstanding about what is going on. This eliminates frustrations children might have with the black-on-white drawings in their books, which don’t account for all the pedantic questions they can come up with.

Lastly, by teaching them through a game, children are invited to interact with traffic safety with Minecraft, a medium they understand and relate to.

Made in collabaration with
Iamprogrez & IT Randsteden