Child Road Safety and School Environments in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

Safe mobility in school environments is fundamental for child protection and the creation of inclusive cities. In the Dominican Republic, this issue is exacerbated by deficiencies in road infrastructure and regulation, exposing thousands of children to risks. The study aims to assess road safety in school environments in the National District and Santo Domingo East to identify risks and propose improvements.

An observational, descriptive, and comparative study was conducted in 20 educational centers (12 public, 8 private) in the National District and Santo Domingo East. Techniques included systematic observation of infrastructure, surveys with parents, teachers, and students on risk perceptions and mobility habits, and semi-structured interviews/focus groups. Findings were compared with international best practices from WHO, UNICEF, and countries like Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, and Chile.

Critical deficiencies were found: 80% of schools lack adequate signage, 84% have no speed reducers, and only 12% have visible pedestrian crossings. None of the observed institutions had active road surveillance. The perception of insecurity was high (85% of parents, 75% of teachers, 65% of students). Only 10% of schools implemented formal road safety education programs.

Dominican school environments present significant and persistent risk conditions due to inadequate infrastructure, educational programs, and institutional surveillance. Multisectoral interventions are required in infrastructure, surveillance, systematic road safety education, and public policies supported by regulatory and budgetary frameworks to protect children and reduce child road accidents.