Background: A high percentage of all sports injuries occur during school sports. The aim of this study was to collect statements and opinions of sports teachers for safety in physical education. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 296 teachers (202 with, 94 without a teaching qualification in "exercise and sports") at 77 Tyrolean "New Middle Schools" (former secondary schools) were interviewed. They judged various statements on school sports safety using a 5-point verbal rating scale. Results: Irrespective of gender, teachers with a teaching qualification stated significantly more frequently (p = 0.015) that they have participated in continuing education on accident prevention than had their colleagues without qualification. The same applies to the checking of gymnastic and sports equipment before use (p < 0.001) and warming up at the beginning of the lesson (p < 0.001). Female sports teachers allowed their pupils more often (p = 0.002) to participate without adequate sportswear in physical education than did their male counterparts. Of all respondents, 57 % knew about technical faults in sports halls, which have also been reported to the school administration. In more than half (58 %) of these, reported defects were repaired completely and in one-third (36 %), a partial repair was reported. Participants estimated that the major risk for school sports injuries was due to the low motor skills of the pupils, inhomogeneous groups, large numbers of pupils, outdated sports equipment, and ball games. Conclusion: Since about a third of all surveyed teachers had no teaching qualification in exercise and sports, this group should come into the focus of regular continuing education in accident prevention.