TY - JOUR
T1 - Child pedestrians
T2 - The role of parental beliefs and practices in promoting safe walking in urban neighborhoods
AU - Gielen, Andrea Carlson
AU - DeFrancesco, Susan
AU - Bishai, David
AU - Mahoney, Patricia
AU - Ho, Shiu
AU - Guyer, Bernard
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by a grant to the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (R49CCR302486).
PY - 2004/12
Y1 - 2004/12
N2 - The purpose of this study was to describe parents' child pedestrian safety practices, knowledge, risk perceptions, and beliefs. We surveyed 732 parents from four elementary schools in urban neighborhoods that differed in income, and child pedestrian injury risks. Findings indicated that most parents taught their children street safety. Few (16%) knew basic pedestrian safety facts; 46% believed children younger than 10 years could safely cross streets alone; 50% believed a child pedestrian crash was likely. Parents in lower income neighborhoods reported the highest rates of unpleasant walking environments and concerns about drug dealers, crime, violence, and trash. We conclude that education should focus on children's risk, developmental capabilities, and supervision needs. Promoting physical activity in urban neighborhoods, especially lower income ones, must address concerns about the physical and social environment.
AB - The purpose of this study was to describe parents' child pedestrian safety practices, knowledge, risk perceptions, and beliefs. We surveyed 732 parents from four elementary schools in urban neighborhoods that differed in income, and child pedestrian injury risks. Findings indicated that most parents taught their children street safety. Few (16%) knew basic pedestrian safety facts; 46% believed children younger than 10 years could safely cross streets alone; 50% believed a child pedestrian crash was likely. Parents in lower income neighborhoods reported the highest rates of unpleasant walking environments and concerns about drug dealers, crime, violence, and trash. We conclude that education should focus on children's risk, developmental capabilities, and supervision needs. Promoting physical activity in urban neighborhoods, especially lower income ones, must address concerns about the physical and social environment.
KW - Child pedestrian safety
KW - Injury prevention
KW - Neighborhood walkability
KW - Safety practices
KW - Supervision
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U2 - 10.1093/jurban/jth139
DO - 10.1093/jurban/jth139
M3 - Review article
C2 - 15466837
AN - SCOPUS:7644241899
VL - 81
SP - 545
EP - 555
JO - Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
JF - Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
SN - 1099-3460
IS - 4
ER -