Mothers busy dropping off and picking up kids

People with young children are more mobile than people without young children. This is especially true for mothers. Working mothers with children under 12 are out 2.5 times more often than working fathers, dropping kids off and fetching them.

People with young children out more often

In 2003 parents with young children went out 3.7 times a day on average. This involves people aged 18-64 living in households with at least one child under 12. People living together without young children are much less mobile: on average they go out 3.1 times a day.

Journeys of 18-64-year-olds, 2003

Families with young children in the “rush hour phase”

The phase in which parents care for young children is sometimes seen as a “rush hour phase”. Women are especially mobile during this phase. Mothers leave home more than four times a day. Fathers of young children go out considerably less often, namely on average 3.4 times a day.

Journeys of people living together, 2003

Working and non-working mothers equally outgoing

There is no difference in the mobility of working and non-working mothers with young children. This is different for fathers. Working fathers are going out more often. Working fathers with young children left the house 3.4 times a day. Non-working fathers left the house 2.9 times.

Journeys to drop off and pick up young children, 2003

Picking up and dropping off mainly done by mothers

In terms of mobility in 2003 working mothers spent almost a quarter picking up or dropping off children by taking them to school, day care and sports clubs and fetching them. This was the mobility motive only in one out of eight cases among working fathers. Working mothers pick up and fetch people 2.5 times as often as working fathers.

Hermine Molnár