Professional paper
Mapping Safe Routes to School and Preschool Facilities to Improve Child Traffic Safety – A Case Study of Upper Croatian Podravina
Predrag Brlek
orcid.org/0000-0003-4890-2583
; Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering, University of Zagreb, Croatia
*
Ivan Cvitković
orcid.org/0000-0001-6570-8219
; Department of Technical and Economic Logistics, University North, Koprivnica, Croatia
*
Goran Kaniški
; Municipality of Gornji Kneginec, Turčin, Croatia
*
Petar Feletar
orcid.org/0000-0002-3517-9851
; Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering, University of Zagreb, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The contemporary traffic context in Croatia is marked by the increasing motorization of society, resulting in a significant decline in children’s independent mobility outside the household. Consequently, children are becoming increasingly dependent on adults in traffic situations, while simultaneously gaining less experience and fewer skills necessary for independent and safe participation in traffic environments. This makes children a particularly vulnerable group of road users, highlighting the need for systematic analysis of safety conditions related to their daily movement, especially along routes between home and (pre)school institutions. Given the growing level of motorization in Croatian society and the decreasing independent mobility of children, this study analyses the current state of traffic safety for children on their way to school and preschool facilities in the Municipality of Gornji Kneginec. The study also proposes a set of activities aimed at improving children’s safety and autonomy in traffic. As part of the research, a survey was conducted to examine traffic habits of the local population. The questionnaire targeted children attending kindergartens and primary schools, as well as their parents. Based on the analysis of the data collected through the survey and the assessment of traffic safety conditions in northwestern Croatia—specifically within the Municipality of Gornji Kneginec, as shown in official statistical data from the Ministry of the Interior—a set of recommended measures was defined to enhance children’s mobility and safety en route to school and preschool facilities. In addition, a methodology for identifying and marking safe routes to these institutions was established. The aim of this study is to contribute to the development of a local planning model for safe child mobility and to encourage the integration of traffic and urban planning perspectives in protecting children as vulnerable road users. The research findings may serve as a foundation for the development of local traffic safety strategies, as well as for strengthening the role of parents, educational institutions, and local government in creating a safe environment for children’s daily mobility.
Keywords
safety; mobility; children in traffic, safe route
Hrčak ID:
346875
URI
Publication date:
21.12.2025.
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