SR4S (Star Rating for Schools) has been used by partners in 63 countries to assess the risk children are exposed to on their school journeys. iRAP is now updating the SR4S model, under the guidance of iRAP Global Technical Committee, to ensure SR4S reflects the latest research, evidence and experience of partners around the world using the tool. SR4S uses iRAP’s Pedestrian model to rate the safety of road infrastructure, and the SR4S model update is part of a broader review of iRAP models which will be implemented towards the end of 2023.

The SR4S model update is consistent with the Safe System principles guiding that vehicle speeds should not exceed 30km/h where vehicles and pedestrians mix. The review considered these principles and feedback of partners using the SR4S to assess more than 1,000 schools, and identified several enhancements that could be made to the assessed road attributes and its risk factors. Speeds are now recorded in 5km/h increments, and traffic flow increments of 1,000 vehicles per lane up to 20,000 vehicles per lane have been introduced. Risk factors for sidewalks, paved shoulders, number of lanes, lane width, property access points, pedestrian crossing facility, pedestrian crossing quality, intersection type, median type, vehicle flows, intersecting road volume, and pedestrian channelization have been introduced or revised.

In practice, the model’s results will be more rigorous, and achieving a 3-star or better rating for a location may require the combination of more safety elements and lower speeds compared to the previous version of the model. Users’ experience with the actual data collection process and the use of the SR4S tools will remain largely the same though. The enhancements also include the introduction of decimal star ratings, which will allow users to see safety improvements within a same Star Rating band. This feature will provide more granular information on the safety rating of a location, enabling better decision-making.

Star Rating for Schools Global Programme Coordinator Rafaela Machado is delighted with the new enhancements, “The SR4S programme has been developed in consultation with a fantastic network of Lead Partners. Their inputs have been guiding the SR4S tools, and now we are excited to also announce this model enhancement. This update reflects the experience of partners using the SR4S to assess more than 1,000 schools and, along with the new SR4S and YEA apps, will ensure partners continue having access to evidence-based tools to support their school safety programmes.”

What you need to know now…

1. We will be making the enhancements in June – we will advise on the exact time and date closer to the day – with at least 3 weeks’ notice. We will be making the enhancements in June– we will advise on the exact time and date closer to the day – with at least 3 weeks’ notice. We want to make sure you have enough time to plan your projects and are aware of the deployment day of the new model.
2. After the model update is deployed, any new assessments created in the SR4S platform will be automatically generated using the new model. Previous data in the SR4S system will not be automatically reprocessed using the new model, but users will be able to update it as well if they wish to. It will be important any before and after upgrade results at individual locations are calibrated to the new model for accurate analysis of the safety change.
3. If you have an ongoing project and needs support with managing your results, please get in contact with schools@irap.org and we will be happy to support you.
4. We will launch an updated SR4S video course in June and we recommend SR4S app users take a look as a refresher before using the new model, but it will not be mandatory.
5. There is a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document now available here. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at schools@irap.org. For more information on the model review, you can also access the report 2022 Vehicle Speeds and the iRAP Protocols: A Review.
6. If you don’t yet receive the SR4S newsletter and would like to stay abreast of our innovation and partner successes making school journeys safer world-wide, sign up here.