This chapter examines the concept of risk compensation particularly in relation to the amount of freedom children have to travel unaccompanied. Factors contributing to risk compensation are examined. A number of road safety policies are examined which are claimed to have reduced casualties. It is suggested that the main cause of casualty reduction has been risk compensation behaviour on the part of the parents. The problems of measuring mobility and safety are outlined. The author takes issue with the government's basis for speed limits and traffic calming which depends on fatal accident figures. This takes insufficient account of the problem of 'percieved danger'. A number of indicators are proposed as measures of safety and freedom. These include the proportion of childeren allowed to undertake various activities, the time taken to cross a sample of roads and the annual number of hours spent escorting children.
Samenvatting