Not sure where you are in the world, but in most of the developed world things have never been safer. So, the answer to your questions is a resounding "yes". Yes, it's safe for kids to walk around their neighborhoods these days.
> Not sure where you are in the world, but in most of the developed world things have never been safer.
In the US cyclists and pedestrians are getting killed at a higher rate than ever before. Partly because 50% of people are driving huge trucks and SUVs.
Since you’re not sourcing that it gives me license to speculate that this stat is probably localized (the US is a big place) and not coincidentally to areas where people are also cycling and walking at a higher rate.
"too many cars and it was unusual to see anyone walking" means that he is in one of the developed world part, may be suburban parts
As a parent, he may be scared of letting kids out on their own because of all the abuses/crimes/accidents against kids - exaggerated by the media.
And then kids do not have enough reasons to move out and play in the neighborhood in a world full of social media, gaming consoles, and the electronics around them to keep them occupied.
Other parents see that there are no kids out there and they do not send kids out there and it becomes a self-fulfilling cycle.
As a kid I remember being out for 4-6 hours every day with other kids and much more if possible. But as a parent, I do not see many kids out there and my kids ends up with very small amount of play time outside (that too mostly with parents) and it is already hard to get them out once the kids are glued to the electronics.
I live in Cupertino, near Apple HQ. Obviously you can walk around but I rarely see anyone do... and I generally have never seen kids unattended around here (living here for 17 years).
The west side of the city is a lot quieter, and it's not uncommon to see people out and about here. The entrance to the Hammond-Snyder Loop trail isn't the most discoverable from where I live, but it's just a couple blocks away and I see people on the train tracks near it occasionally.
In either case, have you ever seen a kid running around?
I mean obviously I know from experience and being a kid at one point that apartment complexes are overly infested with kids running around, but pretty sure given the year and parenting, most if not all kids under the age of 15 don't freely walk in the streets.
At least where I lived, the city was nice but there were too many cars and it was unusual to see anyone walking... nevertheless kids walking.