Pilot study to evaluate school safety zone built environment interventions

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Transportation Safety
• Urban Planning

Background:

• School safety zones were established in Toronto in 2017 as part of the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan.
• This pilot study assessed the impact of built environment changes on driver behavior and active school transportation (AST).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of built environment interventions in school safety zones.
• To analyze changes in driver speeds, AST, and dangerous driving behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Interventions were applied to 34 schools, with 45 matched controls studied from 2017-2019.
• Driver speeds were measured using pneumatic speed tubes; AST and dangerous driving were observed.
• Statistical analyses included repeated measures beta and multiple regression.

Main Results:

• A decrease in drivers exceeding the speed limit was observed at intervention schools (44% to 40%).
• Active school transportation (AST) showed a modest increase of 5% at intervention schools.
• Reductions in dangerous driving were noted across all schools, with no significant changes in control groups.

Conclusions:

• Built environment interventions led to reduced speeding and dangerous driving near schools.
• Modest increases in AST were observed, but significant reductions in speeding require bolder interventions.
• Further measures are recommended to enhance traffic calming and promote safe active school transportation.