Study on Safe Way to School in Italy

PINNA, FRANCESCO;PIRAS, CLAUDIA

2010-01-01

---

Abstract

Every year thousands of accidents which have occurred involving children aged between 2 and 14 years were recorded mainly on the way to school. The way to school is the first and most important approach for children with the use of urban space. The most evident response to the risk of road is provided by the parents' behavior: they go to school with their children. Last statistics have shown that in Italy on the urban road network accidents and injuries grow over 80% and a little less than 2/3 of deaths from road accidents. The described situation is heavy with pedestrian-vehicle conflicts, in which speed is the main factor in the severity of the accident, especially when children are involved. Medical studies indicate that the increased exposure of children to the dangers of the road is related to their incomplete development compared to the standard features of the adult. Hence the need to plan safe way to school. The paper is divided into the following parts: • general overview of the urban area; • construction and analysis of the O/D matrices on the paths of children; • analysis of key issues and critical; • explanation of proposed projects. For the organization and planning of the ways to school we used a careful analysis of the interested areas and urban paths. When the school is located in residential neighborhoods, we verified, for example, the feasibility of a "30 zone”. In the outside of the “30 zone” we proposed several design solutions to lead the children towards school paying attention to crosswalks. Another solution that we considered was the creation of a “residential zone”, in which the car drivers give priority to the pedestrians and the motorized traffic is deterred. When the design of “30 zone” or “residential zone” was not possible, we designed the ways to school along urban roads. Another solution was the design of “restrict traffic zone” next to school, at least during time entry and exit of the children, so that there are not cars in front of school.