This chapter outlines the findings of 'One False Move - a study of children's independent mobility'. This study compared the freedom children have to travel unaccompanied in the UK and in Germany and the situation in the UK 20 years ago. The findings are summarised interms of age, travel activity, gender, distance and parental attitudes. A number of issues which the report raised are listed. These are each addressed in subsequent chapters. The issues raised include a) the right of children to travel around safely, b) the effect on children's emotional and social development, c) the effect on health of a reduction in independent travel, d) the use of road accident data as a measure of road safety, e) the effect on parents' lifestyles of the time needed to accompany children, f) the economic effects of the additional car journeys, g) compensations in the form of increased shared time with the parent and h) balancing the response between protecting children and taming traffic.
Abstract