Background: There is a push to encourage active transportation among children and adolescents, to improve physical fitness and reduce obesity. A major barrier to active transportation to school is parents’ concern about traffic safety.
Aim: This study aimed to explore crashes in Western Australia (WA) from 2006-2016 involving child and adolescent pedestrians and cyclists at varying distances from the closest school.
Methods: Data were obtained from Main Roads Western Australia, Department of Education WA and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Distance between each crash and the closest school was calculated using a geographic information system. Age and gender of the crash victims, postcode-level socio-demographic factors and remoteness were included in the logistic regression models.
Results: The results found that crashes within 500m of the closest school were more likely to occur during school zone operating hours (Monday to Friday, 7:30-9am, and 2:30-4pm – OR=3.287; 95% CI=1.584-6.820). Child and adolescent pedestrian and cyclist crashes nearer to the closest school were more likely to occur in regional and remote areas than in Perth (Inner regional WA: OR=3.154; 95% CI=1.061-9.380). The location of crashes relative to schools varied according to socio-economic status of the postcode of the crash.
Conclusion: Continuing interventions are needed develop infrastructure to support children and adolescents travelling safely, such as in high pedestrian and cyclist areas, and selectively reduce speed limits at times and in areas where large volumes of young people travel on foot or by bicycle, such as close to schools, and in regional and remote areas.