Parents In Cape Metropole Express Safety Fears For Children Travelling To School

In the bustling neighbourhoods of Cape Metropole, a growing sense of unease hangs in the air as parents grapple with the safety of their children travelling to and from school.

A recent study from Stellenbosch Universitys Departments of Civil Engineering and Economics has shed light on these concerns, revealing a pronounced difference in worries related to road safety between parents in lower-income and higher-income areas.

The study drew on feedback from parents of children attending 19 schools across diverse areas, aiming to quantify the worries specific to road safety and identify contributing factors. Findings published in the Journal of Child and Family Studies highlighted that parental concern transcends boundaries, with more than 86 of parents expressing varying degrees of unease about their childrens safety.

According to the researchers, only a small sliver13of those surveyed reported being not worried at all. Strikingly, the data revealed that parents located in areas plagued by frequent pedestrian accidentstermed Group Aexhibit considerably higher levels of anxiety compared to those in more stable environmentsGroup B .

Particularly alarming is the finding that more than three-quarters 77.4 of children from Group A schools walk to school, starkly contrasting with 95.9 of children in Group B, who predominantly travel by private vehicle. Higher levels of concern were noted among parents whose children walk or utilise public transport, as these methods expose young travellers to a visibly riskier environment.