Evaluation of Risk Factor for Children During Drop-off and Pick-upTime around the Primary School in Thailand

Background:Traffic accidents, hazardous behaviors, and caretakers’ opinions have a strong effect on students’ safety during the drop-off and pick-up period. The present research about student drop-off and pick-up behaviors and spatial analysis will be helpful for betterunderstanding school traffic incidents and related risk factors.Objective:To examine the risk factors associated with school drop-off and pick-up in three dimensions: 1) risk zones, 2) risk behaviors, and 3)risk periods. Method:A mixed method approach was employed using 4 sets of data, consisting of 1) the statistics of accidents occurring around primaryschools, 2) the student drop-off and pick-up behaviors, 3) the opinions toward risk zones and risk periods, and 4) the data obtainedfrom the survey and interview. The spatial analysis was conducted using kernel density estimation technique. The statistical dataanalysis was carried out to analyze and compare the questionnaire responses given by the teachers and parents from the primaryschools with the highest accident rate in 5 regions of Thailand. Results:Pedestrian crossing points in front of the school gates and blind spots behind the school buildings were considered the risk zones. Inthe morning, the parents usually dropped the students off at the pavements in front of the school gate. Some of them walked thestudents to the classrooms. After school, the parents parked their cars and then walked to wait for the students at the meeting pointsscattered inside or outside the school. The opinions of the teachers and parents regarding the risk periods were found to besignificantly different (p < 0.01), which affected the way the teachers and parents looked out for the students’ safety in the morningand after school period. Conclusion:The areas around pedestrian crossing points and school gates require effective transport planning in order to specifically prevent andmonitor hazardous incidents. A scattering of drop-off and pick-up points are risk behaviors. Therefore, each school should clearly setup safe drop-off and pick-up points and pay close attention to the safety of students both in the morning and after school. Creatingsafety for students should start with improving the school environment in order to reduce anxiety and facilitate behavior change.