The routes are made in a very high standard to heighten the quality of the bicycle experience. Safe routes give healthy cycling children Summary Physical activity among children is desperately needed. An ongoing process to make safe routes to school is one of the most successfull ways to reach this goal. During the period 1955-71, Denmark had the highest rate of child mortality due to road accidents in Western Europe. Only one out of six accidents occurs on trips to and from school.
Cycling is the most common mode of children's transport and the use of bicycles increases with age.
The project in Odense started more than 20 years ago and includes all 45 schools. The study includes also routes to and from organized activities. Aerial photographs were used for mapping each child's routes. For each school, maps of the area have been drawn, showing where the children actually move around and the places which they consider dangerous. Based on the study, proposals to improve the traffic environment for children were worked out.