Safe and healthy journeys to school

At the global level, 3000 children and young people die or are seriously injured on the roads each day. Traffic accidents are the most common cause of death for young people around the world.

Traffic accidents cause children to be absent from school and can lead to long-term health problems. If the parents of a child in a developing country are involved in a traffic accident, the family may no longer be able to afford to send the child to school. When children are injured, parents often must stop working to take care of them, thus endangering their livelihood. Traffic accidents are a global epidemic, and in many countries, they are a major public health problem.

In Finland, the mortality rate for children travelling to and from school has been zero for several years running. Health care and family income are guaranteed in the event of a serious traffic accident.

1. Pedestrians and cyclists are vulnerable road users

Pedestrians and cyclists are vulnerable road users. Together with motorcyclists, they account for half of road deaths in developing countries. iRAP (International Road Assessment Program) investigated 250,000 kilometres of road network in 60 countries and showed that more than 80% of roads with many pedestrians and cyclists and with a speed limit of more than 40 km/h do not have a pedestrian or cycle path or lane.

In recent years, the speed limits for city centres and residential areas in Finland have been reduced to 30–40 km/h. Pedestrian and cycle routes are common in urban areas, and if a school student does not have a safe route to school, municipal school transport can usually be arranged.

The capital of Kenya, Nairobi, has 3.1 million inhabitants. 50% of the population walks and cycles, but most of these trips are life-threatening: pedestrians accounted for 65% of the city's 461 traffic fatalities in 2016.

In Finland, the issues are discussed, and a lot has already been done. In my opinion, the most important risk factor for school journeys in Finland today is road users’ disregard for traffic regulations.

2. Safe routes to school

The UN aims to achieve 'a safe and healthy school journey for every child by 2030'. This is reflected in the WHO Convention on the Rights of the Child and summarised in the declaration 'Every Child's Right to Safe & Healthy Streets'. At the grassroots level, the initiatives of the declaration deal with improving road infrastructure, road safety training, distributing protective helmets, and the use of sustainable modes of transport.

The objective is certainly a challenging one. However, I believe that Finland is already close to achieving this goal, and work is constantly being done towards this end.

Safe routes to school are crucial not only for reducing poverty and improving access to education and health care, but also for achieving gender equality.

Safe routes to school in Finland have also contributed to a rise in standards of living, a high level of education and a comprehensive, high-quality public health service. Gender equality in Finland is also something of self-evident importance.

3. Climate change cannot be solved without sustainable transport

Climate change cannot be solved without sustainable transport. Almost all Sustainable Development Goals are directly or indirectly linked to safe and sustainable vehicles and routes to school. Improving the safety of routes to school enables active school journeys through walking or cycling, and this prevents obesity, reduces the strain on the climate, and improves health. Cities that favour walking and cycling have been found to have fewer traffic fatalities and lower air pollution.

In Finland, the promotion of walking and cycling is of key importance in most cities. Climate targets have also been set and measures have been launched to achieve them. Urban areas generally have relatively comprehensive and safe pedestrian and cycle routes.

4. Priority number one?

Traffic safety for children and young people and sustainable transport are often not the top priority for decision-makers in developing countries, and sometimes not even for those in more developed countries. Fortunately, UN representatives have been warmly welcomed to participate in government events and discussions in developing countries, and positive changes have been made. The UN and the EU deserve much praise for the way they have participated in the work of different governments and brought about real changes for the better.

?In Finland, the government programme of the current government contains the statement that ‘improvements to traffic safety will be included in the development of both transport and the transport system’. In Finland, a national traffic safety strategy is being drawn up which focuses on improving traffic safety for young people and for sustainable modes of transport – and this includes active and safe school journeys.

5. School Area Road Safety Evaluations and Improvements

Multi-year impact assessment study found that one road accident is prevented each year for every 286 children in developing countries whose schools participated in the SARSAI programme (School Area Road Safety Assessments and Improvements). This means that 10 million children participating equates to 35,000 less traffic accidents. This is the first traffic safety programme that has been shown to reduce the number of traffic accidents involving children in sub-Saharan Africa.

Safe routes to school are already widely in place throughout Finland, and cycling helmets, lights and reflectors can be acquired for all those who wish to have them. In Finland, children are not usually taken to school by motorcycle and, where this is the case, helmets are compulsory for all.

6. Star Rating for Schools

Reliable and accurate information on traffic accidents is needed to raise awareness of the effects of traffic accidents and to convince decision-makers of the need for change. In developing countries, there is often no comprehensive information available on traffic accidents that take place during school journeys, so the Star Rating for Schools jointly developed by Amend and iRAP provides a method for assessing the impact of traffic safety measures by using a star rating.

Finland has relatively comprehensive traffic accident data available to use as the basis for planning safety measures. For a long time already, the Koululiitu programme has been used in Finland to assess the safety of routes to school. The results have been utilised in planning measures to improve school transport and the traffic environment.

7. Safe and healthy school journeys for all children

In developing countries, it is lower-income classes that are most affected by traffic accidents. Decision-makers and citizens prefer to lay the blame for accidents with road users rather than with political decision-making and traffic planning. Decision-makers in developing countries often favour extensive road projects that promote car use and produce rapid political benefits. These projects often enable higher speeds instead of safer traffic and routes to school.

Finland is moving towards transport planning and urban development that favours public transport and sustainable modes of transport. However, many transport projects continue to focus on facilitating driving and eliminating congestion, with other solutions not considered to be realistic.?

In many developing countries, cities and road layouts are not designed for pedestrians and cyclists. Fast road connections divide up urban areas and restrict the possibilities for getting safely to school or hobbies.

Since the 70s, Finland has been evaluating traffic safety impacts in land use planning and transport projects and striving to achieve the safest solutions for the traffic environment. There is always something to improve. Decision-makers' policies, urban development and traffic planning are at the centre of our efforts to create safer routes to school. Attitude education and traffic instruction can and should be continually developed. In addition, we should take advantage of the example and best practices of the leading countries in traffic safety, such as Norway and Sweden. Together, we can ensure that all children have safe and healthy school journeys.