Children’s Independent Trips on Weekdays and Weekends: Case Study of Québec City

Children's independent mobility (CIM) is significantly higher on weekdays, particularly in urban environments and for those with older siblings. A study analyzing origin-destination data from Québec City revealed that weekend trips are rarely independent, contrary to expectations due to increased free time and parental availability. Key factors promoting CIM include shorter distances, the presence of an older sibling, and more urbanized settings. The research, which examined 979 weekday and 315 weekend trips for children aged 9–11 across five built environment types, challenges assumptions about weekend mobility while highlighting critical determinants of independent travel behavior.

Cervesato, A., & Waygood, E. O. D. (2019). Children’s Independent Trips on Weekdays and Weekends: Case Study of Québec City. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2673(4), 907–916. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198119837225