Cycling plays an essential role in advancing the green transition, offering a range of environmental and health advantages such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, decreased air and noise pollution, and improved physical fitness. Encouraging children to cycle to school can help make cycling a normal, everyday activity, potentially fostering lifelong habits. Nonetheless, safety concerns continue to pose a major obstacle—especially in countries with predominantly car-centric transport systems like Ireland. This research examines the factors that shape parents’ perceptions of safety when cycling to school with their children.
Data were gathered through an online questionnaire (n = 342) and two focus group discussions (n = 10) involving parents who accompany their children by bicycle to school. The questionnaire included both multiple-choice and open-ended items, while the focus groups were conducted in a semi-structured format. Quantitative results were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, and qualitative responses were examined through thematic analysis.
Results indicate that 43% of respondents felt safe cycling to school, whereas 25% reported rarely or never feeling safe. Thematic analysis revealed four dominant themes shaping perceived safety: the quality of cycling infrastructure, interactions with other road users, coping mechanisms adopted by parents, and wider social influences such as gender. Key worries included inadequate or poorly designed cycling lanes, non-compliance with traffic laws, limited enforcement, and risky driving behaviour. Strategies used to cope with these risks ranged from cycling on footpaths and taking alternative routes to avoiding cycling with children entirely.
Overall, the findings highlight several specific factors affecting families’ sense of safety during school cycling trips in Ireland. These insights will guide future work aimed at identifying and addressing hazardous segments along school cycling routes.