Streetscape intervention influencing the perception of traffic safety for active school travel

Children's active commuting to school has been declining in Melbourne, Australia, and parental perception of traffic safety is a key factor influencing this. Although substantial research on active school travel exists, there is minimal implementable research evidence that can be used to improve parental perceptions of traffic safety and increase in the number of children walking to school. To address this, a total of 329 carers/parents from Metropolitan Melbourne participated in an online survey through Facebook community groups. A mixed-method approach was used to investigate variations in perceptions of the safety of children walking to school, and the reasons for this. The study uses eight 3D streetscape simulation videos, located near a school, showing a single or a combination of interventions, which might make the street seem safer. Data analysis revealed a significant difference in the perception of traffic safety for most streetscape interventions examined. Many participants reported that streetscape elements influence traffic safety perception, whereas fewer than 20 % did not perceive this. The findings show that microscale streetscape interventions influence parents’ traffic safety perception for their children to walk to school. Overall, the lateral distance separation of pedestrians from vehicular traffic was perceived as safer than tree buffers or speed reduction. While speed reduction significantly improves real safety, speed intervention, coupled with other interventions such as buffer or lateral distance, is perceived as much safer than a single speed intervention. • Traffic safety perception is a main factor in the decision on active school travel. • Minimal interventions in streetscape influence parents' perception of traffic safety. • Lateral distance separation between traffic and pedestrians improves the perception. • Higher-canopy trees are perceived as safer than low-canopy trees or lower speed. • Widened footpath interventions are perceived as the least safe when they place pedestrians closer to traffic.