Children Walking to and from School in Tehran: Associations with Neighbourhood Safety, Parental Concerns and Children's Perceptions

Abstract

In recent times children are more likely to use motorized transportation modes to go to and from school. This paper focuses on examining the relationship between neighbourhood safety and primary-aged children walking to and from school on their own; across different socio-economic areas in Tehran. Self-reported parental and children surveys and urban design measurements were used to determine the influential neighbourhood safety factors in choosing children's school transportation mode. The results reveal that parents and children with negative perceptions of neighbourhood safety tended to use motor vehicles or to escort their children while walking to and from school.