Increasing car dependency of children: should we be worried?

Abstract

Children are becoming increasingly dependent on the car. This is occurring because of the complexity of modern life and the resulting shortage of time which often means that a child is taken to school by car, sometimes as part of a longer trip. Many parents are concerned about the safety and security of their children. The weather also plays a key role. This increasing car use by children has several implications: children lose opportunities to gain road-based skills and independence from their parents; they lose some social opportunities; parental time is spent taking children by car; there is extra traffic on the road, particularly during the morning peak; children will have a reduction in their physical activity, which has health implications; and, they may grow up with little or no experience of using alternatives to the car. This will have significant adverse impacts on future policies aimed at reducing car use. The situation is likely to worsen. Car ownership will increase further, with a greater increase in households with children than those without. Car use by children is likely to increase considerably. This is a very worrying trend.

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