Situation

The Dutch Traffic Safety Association (VVN) works to improve traffic safety. One of the VVN’s major areas of concern is the fact that some parents bring their children to school by car. This results in a major peak in cars parking and parked around the school in the mornings and afternoons, which makes the area feel less safe. Research conducted by TNS NIPO indicates that 58% of the 2,311 primary schools studied experience dangerous situations due to traffic caused by parents dropping off or picking up their children at school. Moreover, children who are brought to school by car do not acquire experience with cycling.

Objective

VVN aims to positively influence how parents drop off and pick up their children at school, so that fewer people will drive their cars to school. The target behaviour is therefore to bring children to and from school by bicycle or foot. During the project, we will take the first step towards an intervention for this desired behaviour. This will require us to provide an answer to the question:

Which target group should VVN focus on first?

Why do parents in the chosen target group bring their children to school by car? Which factors (in the broadest sense) play a role in that behaviour? What possible reasons are there for doing things differently?

Where are there opportunities/interventions to encourage the desired behaviour?

Approach

In order to answer these questions, we will conduct a literature study, organise a focus group with experts, conduct observations on location, and hold in-depth interviews with the stakeholders.

Desired result

The end result will be a report describing the insights into the motivations of the desirable and undesirable behaviour, and applying those motivations in possible starting points for interventions.

Time frame January – June 2018

Dirk Ploos van Amstel, Sandra Bukman, Sander Hermsen, Reint Jan Renes