Young people contribute to road danger reduction around schools app

The latest version of the YEA app is based on iRAP's Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) tool, an award-winning evidence-based programme of toolkits, training and support to measure, manage and communicate the risk children are exposed to on a journey to school

The much-anticipated new version of the Youth Engagement App (YEA) has launched during the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, supporting the theme “Streets for Life: #MakeWalkingSafe and #MakeCyclingSafe”. 

The release of the updated YEA represents a major step forward in fostering youth participation, and sets a new benchmark for impactful engagement and enhances data collection through innovative technology. Its user-friendly design and scalability have been proven effective. 

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On 15 May, during the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, hear from the UK's Vision Zero, Safe Systems, 20's Plenty, behavioural science, active travel and road danger reduction pioneers at the National Vision Zero & 20's Plenty Conference in Liverpool

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This latest version of the YEA app has been funded by Google.org, with several other partners supported the app's initial development. YEA is now available in the Apple and Android app stores and is free to use. It is based on iRAP's Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) tool, an award-winning evidence-based programme of toolkits, training and support to measure, manage and communicate the risk children are exposed to on a journey to school.

Road traffic injuries are a serious threat to children worldwide. Sadly, they are the leading cause of death for young people aged 5-29 years, and a significant number of these incidents involve pedestrians and cyclists.

The UN Global Road Safety Week highlights that making walking and cycling safe is not just about preventing accidents. It also encourages more students to choose these active and healthy ways to travel, contributing to:

• Healthier Students: Walking and cycling provide valuable exercise.

• Sustainable Communities: Active travel reduces traffic congestion and air pollution around schools.

• Equitable Access: Safe walking and cycling routes ensure all students can reach school.

Once the risk is measured, effective scenarios of road treatments and their impact on safety can be simulated to identify cost-effective solutions

Using evidence-based research of their impact on safety, the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) tool calculates a Star Rating at spot locations, where 1-star is the least safe and 5-star is the safest. SR4S combines a central web application and a data collection Android app that harness the power of the iRAP Star Rating for Pedestrians.

Once the risk is measured, effective scenarios of road treatments and their impact on safety can be simulated to identify cost-effective solutions.

The implementation of the treatments can ultimately be tracked so that the partner and funder can see the benefits of their investment and the school teaching staff can educate the pupils on the correct use of the treatments.

Adapting to climate change also requires efforts to shift travel to less carbon-intensive travel modes. Safety is a key factor in creating this change. When children feel that an environment is safe, they are more likely to feel comfortable walking and cycling and using public transport. The following tools are available to help planners and designers ensure that pedestrian and cycling facilities provide 5-star journeys for school children across the world.

The Youth Engagement App (YEA)

The upgraded version introduces a user-friendly interface designed to engage youth worldwide in road safety initiatives. YEA is an interactive platform that enables young individuals to identify and report road safety conditions in the vicinity of their schools with ease, contributing to tackling the biggest killer of their generation – road crashes. With its global scalability, YEA is expected to transform school safety in countries acrosss the world.

Engaging youth in road safety initiatives is crucial as they bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to longstanding issues, fostering a culture of responsibility and awareness among their peers. By actively contributing to road safety programs, young people can help local authorities to prioritize interventions and tailor them to the community needs, reducing fatalities and severe injuries and ensuring safer roads for everyone. 

The new version of YEA brings a host of exciting enhancements designed to elevate user experience and functionality. The updated layout is more attractive and engaging, featuring vibrant new colors and dynamic graphs. User-friendly flows have been meticulously crafted to ensure that information is easily accessible and streamlining navigation.

Additionally, the new version includes powerful tools specifically designed to support the implementation of Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) projects. These enhancements collectively make YEA a more intuitive and efficient platform, empowering users to achieve their project goals with greater ease and enjoyment.