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Active Transportation Safety Features around Schools in Canada

Author

Listed:
  • Bryn Pinkerton

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
    Departments of Biology and International Development Studies, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada)

  • Andrei Rosu

    (School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada)

  • Ian Janssen

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
    School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada)

  • William Pickett

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
    Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the presence and quality of active transportation safety features in Canadian school environments that relate to pedestrian and bicycle safety. Variations in these features and associated traffic concerns as perceived by school administrators were examined by geographic status and school type. The study was based on schools that participated in 2009/2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. ArcGIS software version 10 and Google Earth were used to assess the presence and quality of ten different active transportation safety features. Findings suggest that there are crosswalks and good sidewalk coverage in the environments surrounding most Canadian schools, but a dearth of bicycle lanes and other traffic calming measures (e.g., speed bumps, traffic chokers). Significant urban/rural inequities exist with a greater prevalence of sidewalk coverage, crosswalks, traffic medians, and speed bumps in urban areas. With the exception of bicycle lanes, the active transportation safety features that were present were generally rated as high quality. Traffic was more of a concern to administrators in urban areas. This study provides novel information about active transportation safety features in Canadian school environments. This information could help guide public health efforts aimed at increasing active transportation levels while simultaneously decreasing active transportation injuries.

Suggested Citation

  • Bryn Pinkerton & Andrei Rosu & Ian Janssen & William Pickett, 2013. "Active Transportation Safety Features around Schools in Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:10:y:2013:i:11:p:5711-5725:d:30045
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. J. Hunt & J. Abraham, 2007. "Influences on bicycle use," Transportation, Springer, vol. 34(4), pages 453-470, July.
    2. Sallis, James F. & Frank, Lawrence D. & Saelens, Brian E. & Kraft, M. Katherine, 2004. "Active transportation and physical activity: opportunities for collaboration on transportation and public health research," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 249-268, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Weiyan Gong & Fan Yuan & Ganyu Feng & Yanning Ma & Yan Zhang & Caicui Ding & Zheng Chen & Ailing Liu, 2020. "Trends in Transportation Modes and Time among Chinese Population from 2002 to 2012," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-12, February.

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