Skip to main content

Survey finds one third of parents witness near misses outside schools

A detailed survey carried out by international tyre manufacturer Bridgestone, road charity Brake and internet-based market research firm YouGov has revealed that a third of primary school parents have witnessed near misses outside the school gates. More than half of parents are also worried about their child’s safety near roads on the school run, as autumn arrives and the nights get darker. The survey also revealed that: Two thirds see 4-11 year olds crossing the road without holding the hand of an a
October 8, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
A detailed survey carried out by international tyre manufacturer Bridgestone, road charity 4235 Brake and internet-based market research firm YouGov has revealed that a third of primary school parents  have witnessed near misses outside the school gates.

More than half of parents are also worried about their child’s safety near roads on the school run, as autumn arrives and the nights get darker.

The survey also revealed that: Two thirds see 4-11 year olds crossing the road without holding the hand of an adult; 17 per cent of school run drivers admit to parking illegally, not in designated areas; One quarter state they are more likely to drive their children to school in autumn/winter; and over three quarters of these are more likely to drive their child to school in bad weather.

Bridgestone and Brake are asking drivers to take care when driving near schools, slowing right down to 20mph or lower to give children a chance and reduce the near misses.

Bridgestone’s managing director John McNaught said: “With the days becoming shorter and weather conditions expected to become more challenging for drivers, now is ideal time to launch an awareness campaign.

“We commissioned research from YouGov, questioning 1,000 primary school parents, in an attempt to reinforce our safety messages. The findings certainly backed up our initial fears about road safety on the school run and we are glad to be partnering with Brake to raise awareness.”

Sarah-Jane Martin, spokesperson from Brake, said: “These are shocking figures, showing just how risky the journey to school can be for kids and parents. We’re asking all drivers to slow down and take care, especially around homes, schools and shops. We need to make sure our kids and people of all ages – not just the lucky few – can walk and cycle without being endangered.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • London borough using public space protection orders to create safe roads round schools
    March 2, 2017
    The London Borough of Havering has introduced Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) to crack down on dangerous driving and parking during the school run. The pilot scheme uses Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), making anti-social driving a criminal offence in areas around schools.
  • ITS World Congress debates perceptions of enforcement
    December 4, 2012
    The technical programme of this year’s ITS World Congress in Vienna includes a special session on the image of enforcement. ITS International examines the scale of the problem and what can be done about it. Debate on the merits and difficulties of enforcing speed limits appears centred on a conflict of principles. Put very simply, local communities, people living close to busy or hazardous roads, want to see traffic speeds calmed. Drivers on those roads, on the whole, want their principle of freedom to be m
  • Road death toll increasing in poor countries, says WHO report
    February 20, 2019
    The latest figures from the World Health Organisation on road deaths make sobering reading – but they are particularly shocking when you consider how the relative poverty of countries contributes to high fatality rates, says Adam Hill Around 1.35 million people died on the world’s roads in 2016, while road traffic injuries are now the leading cause of death among young people, according to new statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Perhaps the most sobering point from its latest research
  • RAC Foundation: UK drivers receive 12 million penalties annually
    October 25, 2017
    Up to 12 million driving license holders receive a penalty notice each year – the equivalent of one every 2.5 seconds; meaning as many as a third (30%) of Britain's 40 million drivers now receive a penalty notice annually. The findings come from the Automated Road Traffic Enforcement: Regulation, Governance and Use - for the RAC Foundation by Dr Adam Snow, a lecturer in criminology at Liverpool Hope University. The penalty notices include the Fixed Penalty Notice (a criminal penalty issued