Effects of a Psychomotor and Road Safety Program on Motor Competence and Safety Knowledge in Preschool Children from Cuenca, Ecuador

Abstract

This study examined the effects of a school-based psychomotor and road safety education program on motor competence and traffic safety knowledge in preschool children. A total of 328 participants (M=4.1±0.4 years) were assigned to control (n=134) and experimental (n=194) groups using a quasi-experimental pre–post design. Psychomotor skills and road safety outcomes were assessed through standardised tests, and data were analysed using a 5-way mixed ANOVA. Results showed significant improvements in the experimental group compared to controls in total psychomotor skills (p=0.003; η²p=0.027) and overall road safety education scores (p≤0.0001; η²p=0.273). The interaction effects showed that improvements varied according to gender, school type, and geographic context. While both groups improved in some motor domains, the experimental group demonstrated consistently greater scores following the intervention. These findings support the effectiveness of integrated, school-based interventions to enhance both motor development and safety-related learning in early childhood.