28 Community Safety Survey Questions to Improve Neighborhoods

Public Space Safety Audit Survey

Why & When to Use

If you’ve ever stubbed your toe on a missing sidewalk brick or noticed how one corner is shadier (creepier!) than others, you’re not alone. Public space safety audits put the spotlight on city parks, bus stops, and public plazas.

This survey helps before city upgrades kick off. Did you just spot some graffiti or hear chatter about after-dark loitering? That’s a big hint it’s time. Other awesome times for a public safety questionnaire:

• Just before summer park activities begin
  
• When residents mention poor lighting in town meetings
  
• After a round of “who’s responsible for that broken bench?”
  
• Ahead of installing new playgrounds or fitness trails
  

With these insights, you can send maintenance teams to where they matter most. Plus—your community gets nicer, and everyone feels a touch safer.

5 Sample Questions

1. Rate the street lighting in your nearest park.
   
2. Have you noticed loitering or vandalism in public spaces recently?
   
3. Do existing CCTV cameras make you feel safer?
   
4. Are emergency call boxes easy to locate?
   
5. Which improvements would most enhance your sense of safety?
   

Each answer colors in the map for city planners. A public space safety audit clears up the blind spots you never knew existed—now, toes everywhere can rejoice.

Community perceptions of public safety vary significantly by demographic groups—e.g., younger women feel less secure yet trust surveillance more, while older, educated individuals worry more about violent crimes in malls ScienceDirect

Youth Safety & School Commute Survey

Why & When to Use

Think back to your walk or bike ride to school—did it feel safe or a bit dicey? Youth safety surveys give every caregiver a voice about risks kids see on the way to class.

The neat part? You don’t have to wait until trouble strikes. Use this tool when:

• Prepping Safe Routes to School grant proposals
  
• Rolling out walking school bus programs
  
• Gathering input before back-to-school open houses
  
• Reviewing crossing guard assignments or bus stops
  

That way, every corner kid’s experience fine-tunes the plan. The right questions bring home what most concerns families and keep those walks a whole lot safer.

5 Sample Questions

1. How safe does your child feel traveling to and from school?
   
2. Which hazards (traffic, bullying, poorly lit paths) concern you most?
   
3. Has your child been approached by strangers within the last year?
   
4. Are crossing guards consistently present at key intersections?
   
5. What safety programs would you like implemented?
   

Giving parents a say gets buy-in and creative new ideas. Youth commute surveys turn daily worries into actionable fixes—now that’s worthy of an A+.

Business Safety Concerns Survey

Why & When to Use

Local shops are the lifeblood of many neighborhoods, but anything from vandalism to iffy lighting can keep shutters closed. A business safety concerns survey gathers the inside scoop direct from business owners and workers.

Drop this public safety questionnaire before pitching a new Business Improvement District (BID). It’s also great when organizing merchant and police forums, or whenever business complaints about safety pop up at chamber meetings.

Other smart deployment moments?

• Ahead of launching nightlife patrols
  
• After a string of break-ins
  
• While preparing security funding proposals
  
• Before big events that draw crowds downtown
  

Here’s the thing: If you want foot traffic and flourishing shops, businesses need to feel safe. These community safety survey questions ensure even small voices get heard.

5 Sample Questions

1. How often has your business experienced theft or vandalism?
   
2. What times of day feel least secure for staff and customers?
   
3. Do existing security patrols meet your needs?
   
4. Have safety concerns affected your operating hours?
   
5. Which collective measures (lighting upgrades, neighborhood watch) would you support financially?
   

Knowing what keeps your favorite shops anxious (or thriving) is priceless. Business safety surveys boost confidence and keep local economies humming.

A recent NIJ landscape report finds that general population, post-contact, and administrative-data approaches each offer complementary strengths for measuring community safety perceptions, though emerging real‑time survey tools still need further validation (nij.ojp.gov)

Emergency Preparedness & Response Survey

Why & When to Use

No one ever wants to use their emergency kit, but it beats scrambling during the storm. Emergency preparedness surveys help communities plan for the worst—and practice for the best outcomes.

Use this tool ahead of updating or launching emergency response plans. It’s also key right after a big event, like a citywide evacuation or public health drill. Try it at these times, too:

• Before fire season or hurricane months
  
• While reviewing participation in local safety drills
  
• Preparing grant applications for disaster readiness
  
• When reviewing gaps in neighbor support for seniors and vulnerable folks
  

You’ll get real-world feedback about food, water, and info shortfalls. And you’ll learn why residents might not be fully prepared, so you can clear those roadblocks.

5 Sample Questions

1. Do you have a 72-hour emergency kit at home?
   
2. How confident are you in local evacuation procedures?
   
3. Have you signed up for community alert systems?
   
4. What barriers prevent you from being better prepared (cost, information, mobility)?
   
5. Which emergency drills would you participate in?
   

Answers here mean fewer surprises later. Emergency readiness surveys make “just in case” plans doable—and sometimes, fun to plan together (bring snacks).

Traffic & Pedestrian Safety Survey

Why & When to Use

Ever played a real-world game of “dodge-the-car” at your local intersection? A traffic and pedestrian safety survey spots the danger zones where walkers, bikers, and drivers intersect.

Perfect for Vision Zero cities, or just before applying for safer street dollars. Plus, consider breaking out this tool:

• After resident complaints about speeders
  
• If there’s been a rise in “near-miss” accidents
  
• Before changing crosswalk locations or adding bike lanes
  
• During community transportation planning
  

It’s one of those surveys everyone has an opinion about—because, really, who loves a sketchy crosswalk?

5 Sample Questions

1. Which intersections in your area feel most dangerous to cross?
   
2. How frequently do drivers exceed speed limits on residential streets?
   
3. Are bike lanes adequate and well-maintained?
   
4. Have you experienced a near-miss incident as a pedestrian/cyclist?
   
5. What traffic calming measures would you support (speed bumps, road diets)?
   

With this data, planners can target fixes where they matter most. Traffic safety surveys take guesswork out of street improvements—and may just make the commute a bit less adventurous.

Resident Satisfaction with Law Enforcement Survey

Why & When to Use

Are folks happy with neighborhood officers? Or do town hall meetings get heated over police response? A resident satisfaction survey with law enforcement reveals how trust is built—or broken.

Annual check-ins capture shifts in opinion, but it’s also prime time for this public safety questionnaire after:

• Implementing big new laws or policies
  
• Changes in police leadership
  
• Major incidents that put policing in the news
  
• Creating new community engagement roles
  

These surveys make sure accountability and positive change aren’t just buzzwords. They’re real, measured, and acted on.

5 Sample Questions

1. How satisfied are you with police response times?
   
2. Do you feel officers treat all community members fairly?
   
3. How approachable do you find neighborhood officers?
   
4. Have police communications (social media, town halls) been helpful?
   
5. What improvements would enhance your confidence in local law enforcement?
   

When trust is high, cooperation soars—and problems shrink. Law enforcement surveys grow transparency and spark better relationships.

Dos and Don’ts: Crafting High-Impact Community Safety Surveys

Ready to build your own survey? Follow these dos and don’ts for high-impact results.

Do:
- Use crisp, unbiased language that everyone understands
- Blend yes/no, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions
- Segment results by age, gender, or location for tailored action
- Promise anonymity to encourage real talk
- Be swift to share results and next steps

Don’t:
- Lead respondents toward desired answers
- Add too many questions; keep it short and sweet (10 minutes max)
- Forget mobile users—optimize for those thumbs
- Release raw data without explaining what it means
- Drag your feet in sharing results or following up

Here’s the thing: Brilliant community safety survey questions are powerful tools for progress. Combine these surveys with real action, and you’ll earn trust—and sometimes, even a standing ovation at the neighborhood picnic.

What are you waiting for? Snag these sample questions, pick your perfect format, and draft your own community safety survey today—the HeySurvey way. Remember, HeySurvey is free, forever, so you get expert-level tools and insights with zero compromises. Go make your neighborhood a safer, brighter place!