A fatal tram accident in Prague has reignited debate over pedestrian safety and the limits of public awareness campaigns after a schoolgirl was killed in mid-March in the Břevnov district.

Police say the incident happened on Bělohorská Street near the Drinopol tram stop, just a short distance from the elementary school the girl attended.

According to initial findings, she stepped out from behind a stationary tram and attempted to cross the tracks. She failed to notice another tram approaching from the opposite direction and was struck.

Despite being pulled from beneath the vehicle, she suffered injuries that could not be treated and died at the scene. The case remains under investigation.

The accident has had a direct impact on a long-running safety campaign by the Prague Public Transit Company (DPP), known as “Don’t Jump Under My Wheels.”

The campaign uses visual messages to warn pedestrians about the risks of tram traffic. Following the incident, one of the campaign’s symbolic scoreboards—meant to represent the annual number of fatalities—was updated to “0:1.”

In a public statement, the transport company said the event had shaken its staff. It also expressed condolences to the girl’s family and urged parents to remind children of basic safety rules: to stay alert near tracks, avoid using phones or headphones while crossing, and never step out from behind a tram without checking both directions.

The campaign itself, however, has drawn mixed reactions. Some residents support its direct approach, arguing that strong messaging is necessary to prevent accidents. Others say the use of a “score” to track fatalities is inappropriate.

One comment on social media described the approach as “disgusting,” questioning whether such framing shows respect for victims. The criticism is not new. In previous years, DPP representatives have defended the campaign, insisting it is not meant to trivialize deaths but to prevent them.

Data released by DPP show that collisions between pedestrians and trams have declined slightly. Last year, 72 such incidents were recorded, down by more than 14 percent compared to the previous year. Most cases did not result in serious injury, but 16 people were badly hurt and two died.

Transport officials say the main causes remain consistent: pedestrians ignoring traffic signals, stepping onto tracks without looking, or being distracted by mobile phones—often while wearing headphones.

Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more