Driver yield and safe child pedestrian crossing behavior promotion by a school traffic warden program at primary school crossings: A cluster-randomized trial

Abstract

Objective

To determine the effect of a school traffic warden program on increasing driver yield and safe child pedestrian crossing behavior in Kampala, Uganda.

Methods

We designed and implemented a school traffic warden program in specific school zones in Kampala, Uganda. We randomly assigned 34 primary schools in Kampala, in a 1:1 ratio, using a computer-generated randomization sequence, to control or intervention arms in a cluster randomized trial. Each school in the intervention group received one trained adult traffic warden stationed at roads adjacent to schools to help young children safely cross. The control schools continued with the standard of care. We extracted and coded outcome data from video recordings on driver yield and child crossing behavior (defined as waiting at the curb, looking both ways for oncoming vehicles, not running while crossing, and avoiding illegal crossing between vehicles) at baseline and after 6 months. Using a mixed effect modified Poisson regression model, we estimated the prevalence ratio to assess whether being in a school traffic warden program was associated with increased driver yield and safe crossing behavior.

Results

A higher proportion of drivers yielded to child pedestrians at crossings with a school traffic warden (aPR 7.2; 95% CI 4.42–11.82). Children were 70% more likely to demonstrate safe crossing behavior in the intervention clusters than in control clusters (aPR 1.7; 95% CI 1.04–2.85). A higher prevalence was recorded for walking while crossing (aPR 1.2; 95% CI 1.08–1.25) in the intervention clusters.

Conclusion

The school traffic warden program is associated with increased driver yield and safe child pedestrian crossing behavior, i.e., stopping at the curb, walking while crossing, and not crossing between vehicles. Therefore, the school traffic warden program could be promoted to supplement other road safety measures, such as pedestrian safety road infrastructure, legislation, and enforcement that specifically protects children in school zones.

Keywords:

• Child pedestrian
• school traffic warden
• driver yield
• crossing behavior
• Uganda

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information files].

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under [number VN81204847]. The contents of this work are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the funders.