Study of nearly 5,000 Delhi students finds 65% cross major roads alone, calls for safer infrastructure around schools

Study by The George Institute for Global Health and the HumanQind Design Foundation finds that walking is the most common mode of school travel, while students report fears of road crashes, speeding vehicles, robbery and harassment.

A study of 4,789 school-going adolescents in Delhi found that two-thirds of students cross major roads alone on their way to school, while walking remains the dominant mode of travel. Many students also reported concerns about road crashes, speeding vehicles, robbery and harassment during their daily journeys. The findings highlight the need to make school journeys safer through a combination of people-centered infrastructure, enforcement, and more effective road safety education.

Published in the peer-reviewed journal Injury Prevention, the study examined how adolescents aged 10–19 years travel to and from school, their understanding of road safety signs, safety practices, and the risks they perceive during their daily commutes. The study was conducted across four public schools located near high-crash road segments, or ‘black spots,' in Delhi and was supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The study was led by Ms Pratishtha Singh, Dr. Jagnoor Jagnoor, and Dr Daniel Gyaase from The George Institute for Global Health and co-authored by Dr Abhaya Jha, Ms Ishnita Nayantara Keskar, and Ms Ruchi Varma from the HumanQind Design Foundation.

Adolescents navigate high-risk roads on their way to school

Walking emerged as the most common mode of school travel, particularly among boys. Of those surveyed, 80% of boys and 49% of girls walk from school to home, often on busy roads and highways without adult supervision. Crossing major roads alone was also common, while many students who cycled also travelled independently on high-traffic roads.

The study found that adolescents faced a range of safety concerns during their daily journeys. Road crashes and speeding vehicles were among the most prominent concerns, while fears also extended to robbery and personal safety. Boys were more likely to report concerns about robbery, whereas girls more frequently reported fears of gendered harassment or eve teasing.

The findings suggest that regular exposure to traffic risks may make some hazards feel like a normal part of everyday life, while also highlighting important differences in how boys and girls experience safety during their journeys.

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The school commute is an everyday part of adolescent life, but for many young people it also means navigating busy roads and making decisions about safety on their own. Our findings show that rather than focusing only on individual behaviour, we need to create environments that make safe travel possible. Safer school journeys will require infrastructure, enforcement, and education that responds to the realities young people face every day.

By:

Pratishtha Singh

Research Associate, The George Institute for Global Health

Almost 60% of those surveyed have poor knowledge of road safety signs

Another key findings was the limited understanding of common road safety signs. Nearly 60% of students had poor knowledge of commonly encountered road safety signs, with particularly low recognition of signs relevant to school and pedestrian environments.

The researchers suggest that conventional classroom-based road safety education may not be enough on its own. Interactive methods such as simulations, peer education and scenario-based learning could help adolescents better understand and retain road safety information.

Low use of helmets and seatbelts remains a concern

The study also found gaps in the use of protective equipment. Among students travelling as pillion riders on motorcycles, 39% of boys and 46% of girls reported never wearing a helmet. Seatbelt use among the smaller group travelling by car was also low and inconsistent.

Safer school journeys require people-centred infrastructure

The researchers emphasise that India's infrastructure development has largely prioritised motorised transport, even as walking and cycling remain important modes of travel for school-going adolescents. The researchers highlight that while education and behaviour-change programmes remain important, they are unlikely to achieve meaningful reductions in injury risk if the surrounding physical environment remains unsafe.

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We cannot put the responsibility for road safety on adolescents alone. If children are walking and cycling to school, the roads and streets around them must be designed to protect them. Pedestrian pathways, better lighting, traffic calming and protected crossings, along with effective enforcement, can make a real difference. We need to put people, particularly children and other vulnerable road users, at the centre of how we plan our cities.

By:

Dr. Jagnoor Jagnoor

Program Head, Injury, The George Institute for Global Health

Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 in India. The researchers recommend a coordinated approach that combines safer walking and cycling infrastructure, traffic calming around schools, stronger and more engaging road safety education, better enforcement of helmet and seatbelt use, and gender-sensitive safety measures. They also call for stronger coordination through District Road Safety Committees and school-level Road Safety Clubs, along with greater consideration of adolescents’ needs in urban and transport planning.