'Safe Routes to School'(SRTS) is a road safety program focused on travel to and from school. In this study, an examination of the implementation of SRTS in Australia has been undertaken by comparing and contrasting state-based SRTS initiatives. There are differences in the approach taken to SRTS implementation in different states. In some cases there is no explicit SRTS program in operation, and in others the programs are quite mature or are undergoing refinement/re-orientation after initial trials. The most mature programs are operating in Western Australia and Victoria, with the South Australian program, which is heavily based on the Victorian model, gathering momentum. New South Wales is unique for its commitment to run the program at all primary schools in the state, and for the exclusion of engineering treatments as an explicit component of the program. Differences exist in relation to the refinement of program objectives: the balance between engineering, education, enforcement and encouragement dimensions of the programs; the manner in which schools are selected; the extent to which program delivery is undertaken by consultants and the extent to which maintenance issues are considered in the program. (a).
Abstract