A Safe Roading Environment for Children: The Identification of Factors Contributing to Crashes Involving Children as Pedestrians and Cyclists in The Netherlands and New Zealand

This paper, from the 2004 conference proceedings of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) Transportation Group, reports on a study undertaken in The Netherlands to identify the factors and road conditions that contribute to crashes involving children. The study included children aged 4 to 12 years old (primary school students) who were pedestrians or bicyclists. Study findings showed that residential streets with a speed limit of 30 km/h were 3 times safer that streets with a 50 km/h speed limit. Some other unsafe situations identified in the study were: pedestrian crossings, one-way residential streets, streets with on-street parking, and roads with objects blocking visibility. The author then compared this data to New Zealand crash data for children in the same age group; the results showed similarities to the Dutch data. The author concludes by reiterating that children do not always act and react in traffic situations as adults would expect, thus it is the responsibility of adults and the road controlling authorities to create infrastructure designs that draw attention to the presence of children.

• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand

  158 The Terrace
  Wellington,   New Zealand 
• Authors:
  • Tutert, Else
• Conference:
  • Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) Transportation Group. Technical Conference Papers 2004
  • Location: Wellington , New Zealand
  • Date: 2004-9-8 to 2004-9-8
• Publication Date: 2004

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 12p
• Monograph Title: Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) Transportation Group. Technical Conference Papers 2004

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Children; Crash injuries; Crosswalks; Cyclists; Highway design; Highway safety; Infrastructure; On street parking; One way streets; Pedestrian movement; Pedestrians; Residential areas; Risk assessment; Speed limits; Visibility
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands; New Zealand
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01052121
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 28 2007 6:23AM