01656857

Component

Over the past half-century active school travel declined while driving children to school has been on the rise. Increased sedentary activity and less active travel have become symptomatic of the modern unhealthy childhood. This study examines the relationship between parental perceptions and preferences with mode of travel to school among grade 5 and 6 students in Toronto, Ontario. Both the environment and distance are controlled for in a matched pairs analysis of school transport. Survey data from the Built Environment and Active Transportation Research Project (BEAT) contain information on parental perceptions and preferences. A conditional logistic regression model tests the relationship between travel mode and the independent variables within the matched pairs (n=118). Parental preferences were the most important factors related to mode choice within the matched pairs. Children were more likely to walk if the parents agreed that driving to school sets a bad example. Children were more likely to be driven if the parent perceived driving as easier and quicker than walking. Boys had higher odds of walking than girls. These findings suggest that parents prefer whatever they perceive as quickest and easiest as long as it isn’t setting a bad example for their children.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANB10 Standing Committee on Transportation Safety Management.

18-02802

English

3p

2018

Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Tables

Built environment; Driving; Mode choice; Nonmotorized transportation; Parents; Perception; School children; School trips; Stated preferences; Surveys

Toronto (Canada)

Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2018 Paper #18-02802

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Jan 8 2018 10:40AM