عنوان مقاله [English]
Primary school children are in the learning phase of their lives and their commuting travelling to and from school can contribute to the growth to maturity, especially when they are trained to travel independently. Besides, school travel generates its own problems, such as the risk of accidents, car congestion at school locations at the beginning and the end of school time, and
air pollution. So far, in the analysis of school children mode choice, socio-economic variables were often investigated, and, the existence of probable association between psychological variables, such as parental worry, is implicated. But, identifying, scrutinizing, and quantifying of these factors through data gathering instruments in school children mode choice have not been examined yet. Therefore, this paper analyzes the role of parental risk perception and worry in the parental escort and independence modes of trips besides socio-economic variables. A set of 1078 questionnaires was designed and distributed among Parents of students from grade one to three in 9 elementary schools (including public and private boys and girls schools) in January 2014 (Return Rate: 80%). Based on the data achieved from this field questioning, Multinomial LOGIT Model and MANOVA were used to survey the effectiveness as well as the relationships of parental risk perception and worry and socio-economic factors in use of school trips modes especially parental escort and students' independence mode. The results show that parents who accompany their kids to school are more worried than other parents, and the more the parental worry is, the less independent and active trip modes of school children will be. Thus, this result shows a gap in perceived safety by parents towards modes such as children's walking alone to school, school service and public transportation modes in Rasht. Thus, it is necessary for the related authorities to persuade parents to choose independence mode for their children with some strategies, such as SR2S (Safe Route to School) and increasing security and safety in public transportation modes and routes leading to schools.