Overview
School journey planning requirements differ from those applicable to “normal” footpaths and cycleways. Special factors such as reduced perception of risk by children and the necessary greater safety needs call for specific processes and techniques. The research group therefore aimed at a sophisticated analysis, in particular of aspects of “journey to school plans”, “processes” and specific behavioural patterns of children, based on existing studies and data on school journey safety and planning.
The main project aim is the provision of a tool box for high quality planning of children’s routes to school. This can significantly contribute to an increase in safety during the journey to school. Existing research findings provide the basis for detailed analysis of planning benefits, risks and shortcomings. To fully understand the issue of travel to school, parents and children are also included in the required analysis. Account will also be taken of wide age-dependent variations in children’s conduct on the way to school. The long-term project goal is to achieve fault-tolerant transport facilities. This will improve child road safety comprehensively and not just on a particular journey to school.
In 4 distinct phases a toolbox will be created to optimise school journey planning in Switzerland.
In Phase 1 we analyse the strengths and weaknesses of different school journey planning processes.
In Phase 2, the results of this analysis are used to build a process (toolbox) embodying the key factors of the school journey planning process.
In Phase 3, independent persons test the toolbox while being monitored by the research group. The group can therefore control the process.
The result of the project, the toolbox and the collected facts and findings will be the basis for presenting the “school journey safety label” successfully to the public.