Prague trams urge headphone-wearing teens to look up before crossing

Prague has launched a road-safety campaign urging young pedestrians to pause, look around and turn down their headphones before crossing streets or tram tracks.

The campaign, titled 3 Seconds… That’s Easy!, primarily targets people aged 11 to 19. Its message will appear across Prague’s public transport network, on social media and in schools through the end of March.

Organizers want pedestrians to spend three seconds following a simple rule before crossing: “I see – I hear – I go.”

“We’re not saying that headphones or mobile phones are bad,” said Petr Tomčík, director of Prague transport coordinator Ropid. “We want people to increase their attention for three seconds before entering the road or tracks.”

Prague Public Transit recorded 43 collisions between trams and pedestrians during the first half of 2026. One child was killed.

Buses and trolleybuses were involved in another 16 pedestrian collisions over the same period.

During all of 2025, trams struck pedestrians in 72 incidents, down from 84 the previous year. Two people died in tram collisions in each of those years.

Transport officials said drivers regularly encounter pedestrians who fail to notice approaching vehicles because they are distracted by phones, headphones or their surroundings.

“A tram or bus cannot stop immediately, and emergency braking can also endanger passengers inside the vehicle,” said DPP transport director Jan Barchánek.

He also reminded pedestrians that trams generally have priority at crossings. DPP provides psychological support to drivers involved in collisions and other serious accidents.

Special campaign graphics will appear on trams, buses and posters at public transport stops. Short videos and two interactive games will also be available online.

Through the end of October, Ropid will visit schools to demonstrate how trams behave in traffic and how far they travel before stopping.

Students will be able to test whether they can hear an approaching tram while listening to music through headphones.

“Prague is gradually improving its infrastructure, but even a well-designed crossing or stop cannot replace the attention of every road user,” Deputy Mayor for Transport Jaromír Beránek said.

The campaign will cost CZK 13.5 million, including VAT. Seventy percent will be financed by the Czech Insurers’ Bureau’s Loss Prevention Fund, with Ropid and Prague covering the remainder.

It complements DPP’s long-running safety campaign Don’t Jump Under My Wheels!