Webinar – Designing streets for tamariki

Child-Friendly Streets Urgency

New Zealand achieved its lowest recorded road toll in 2025 at 273 fatalities, a reversal from a mid-year spike that had threatened worse outcomes. This progress stems from sustained safety efforts, yet it masks ongoing vulnerabilities for children in urban settings where streets favor vehicles over pedestrians and play.

Tamariki face heightened risks on busy roads near schools and neighborhoods, where high traffic volumes make walking, cycling, or playing dangerous. Community feedback in areas like Christchurch's Halswell has driven localized plans to improve crossings and calm traffic, but nationwide, street design rarely prioritizes child needs despite evidence linking safer environments to higher physical activity and community connection.

The push for change draws from global frameworks, including the recent SPACES guide by WHO, UNICEF, and UN-Habitat, which spotlights New Zealand examples and advocates practical steps like speed reduction, space reallocation, and play integration. Locally, Play Streets programs demonstrate low-cost ways to temporarily transform roads into safe play zones, fostering social ties and activity.

Tensions arise in balancing driver convenience against vulnerable users' safety—reforms to street layouts face pushback even as data shows net safety benefits. Culturally, the focus on tamariki emphasizes whānau wellbeing, yet planning often overlooks these perspectives. Without broader adoption of child-centered design, gains in road safety risk stalling where they matter most for future generations.