Parent Safety Perceptions of Child Walking Routes

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Planning
• Child Safety

Background:

• Low rates of children walking to school in the U.S. are largely attributed to parental concerns about child safety.
• Limited research exists on specific street and intersection features influencing parents' perceptions of safe walking environments for children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify specific elements of the child's walking environment that contribute to parental safety concerns.
• To understand parental perceptions of safe routes for children walking to school.

Main Methods:

• Parent volunteers conducted an environmental audit of streets near seven elementary schools in a suburban district.
• The audit focused on identifying features associated with parental safety concerns for child pedestrians.

Main Results:

• Parents expressed significant concern regarding streets lacking sidewalks or featuring obstructed sidewalks.
• Wheelchair-accessible routes were perceived by parents as suitable for children's walking routes.
• Intersections, especially those on larger streets, were identified as major safety concerns for parents, irrespective of traffic controls.

Conclusions:

• Sidewalk presence and condition, along with intersection safety, are critical factors influencing parental decisions about children walking to school.
• Improving pedestrian infrastructure, such as ensuring continuous and clear sidewalks and safer intersection designs, may help alleviate parental safety concerns.
• Understanding parental perceptions is crucial for developing effective strategies to promote active transportation for children.