A recent survey reveals a significant portion of elementary school children are regularly transported to school by car, despite parental reservations about the practice. Conducted by the ADAC Foundation and detailed in a report by “Der Spiegel”, the study found that 19% of elementary school students are driven to school every day, with an additional 9% experiencing this mode of transport at least every other day.
However, a majority – 58% – of parents surveyed express a general aversion to driving their children to school, particularly those whose children routinely walk, cycle, or use scooters to reach school.
The primary motivations cited by parents who do opt to drive their children are practical. Forty percent indicate they have appointments after school, while 30% find it convenient because the school is located on their commute to work. A further 22% hope to save time and 32% point to adverse weather conditions as a contributing factor.
The ADAC Foundation acknowledges that these reasons make reducing the prevalence of “parent taxis” complex. Notably, 22% of parents who daily drive their children state they intend to continue doing so.
Christina Tillmann, the foundation’s board member, advocates for children to undertake their school journeys independently. “Children do not learn about road safety from the backseat” she noted. “If parents trust their children to manage the school route on their own, it strengthens their safety, independence and ultimately, the interaction within traffic.
The survey, conducted in July by komma Forschung- und Beratungsgesellschaft, questioned 1,000 parents of children aged 5-15 via an online panel. The sample was weighted to reflect the proportion of families with children in each German state.