What stands between a child and a vehicle at a school crossing?
A bowtie risk model built with local government and a state transport agency. Explore the map, then open four of the threat bowties to see how barriers were rated, where participants want research to focus, and what we found.
Illustrative case study. This tool shows a recent Opposite engagement and has been modified to protect the anonymity of the client and participants. Four of ten threat bowties are open in this demo.
Start with the map
Road user failing to give way
Every barrier on this line was rated Low or Fair, yet it drew strong votes for research.
Open bowtie → Threat bowtieRoad user failing to see a person
Blocked sightlines and warnings that don't reach the driver, with supervisor presence rated Low.
Open bowtie → Threat bowtieHigh traffic volumes
The most voted line in the workshop, centred on drop-off zones, signals and supervisor exposure.
Open bowtie → Threat bowtiePoor environmental conditions
Visibility barriers that underperform in rain and glare, and no common weather response.
Open bowtie →Consolidated findings
The model leans on one person
Most threat lines rely on a crossing supervisor being present, alert and well supported. Unfilled shifts leave many barriers without their assumed backstop.
Rated weak, still relied on
School zones, campaigns and flashing lights were rated Low yet drew the highest importance votes. These are the strongest candidates for research.
Data can't yet show what works
Incident and near-miss reporting differs between organisations, and crash data rarely records cause. A common record is a practical first step.
Enforcement is thin and visible
Police time at crossings is limited. Participants pointed to camera-based detection and smarter crossing technology as untested options.
Supervisor safety is part of the risk
Aggression from drivers, entering live traffic and extreme weather put supervisors at risk, which in turn weakens the barriers they provide.
Ownership and funding are unclear
Questions about who owns the risk, who funds upgrades and whether the service model is sustainable sit behind every consequence pathway.
Anatomy of a bowtie
A bowtie shows how a hazard can be released into an unwanted event, the threats that cause it, and the barriers that either prevent it (left) or limit harm once it happens (right).
Hazard
School children crossing the road.
Threats
What could lead to the top event.
Preventive barriers
Controls that stop a threat reaching the top event.
Top event
A person is exposed to the hazard at a crossing.
Mitigative barriers
Controls that reduce harm afterwards.
Consequences
Outcomes for people, schools and communities.
Each group rated how well a control currently works, as an estimate of the share of incidents it prevents or reduces.
Participants placed dot votes on each control to rate how important it is to address in research.