How does "stupid parents" track when meta-analyses have shown that the Flynn effect is still being observed? Each generation has continued to be (very slightly) smarter (though IQ is inherently a flawed concept and I'm still not convinced)? I was allowed to roam free for most of my childhood, it's true. But looking at my situation, you would not have said I was well-minded. I was raised by a distracted self-employed single artist living on the largesse of substantial child support, and I was basically feral.

Gen X tend to think of themselves as the disaffected latchkey generation, but that was my upbringing too. Walked myself to school and back, sure - but also lied about having done my homework, and spent 97% of my time doing whatever I liked without supervision or even saying where I'd be. Got into scrapes, talked to strangers, managed my own affairs. Called home when I needed something or (rarely) felt like it. The fact that I'm here now is a story about (emotional) survival, not (physical) thriving.

Others also mention cars. Cars are substantially more dangerous to children than they were thirty or fifty years ago (poorer sight-lines, increased driver height and car size all playing a part), and drivers are vastly more distracted because of phones. That's an extremely valid concern for a parent, even if your kid doesn't have issues with attention and self-control that put them at risk. I've taken pains to raise a kid who sees cars as a threat to monitor and cross roads safely, and still the second I stop hammering away at those points he'll cross the street while staring at the ground and looking in neither direction. It's maddening, this ADHD shit. And that's more prevalent than ever as well!

Point being, every aging cohort tends to think everything's Worse Now, everyone younger than them is Stupid and Doing It Wrong, and Things Were Better, and I Survived So It Must Be Safe! Never trust those instincts, they are always wrong until proven true.

Where I live there is a high school a block away in one direction, and a middle school a block away in the other direction. School starting and ending is just a massive cluster fuck of parents picking up or dropping off their kids. It's so weird.

Same here although i cycled. Was about a mile each way. Fairly low traffic. I imagine it's way more traffic now so that might be part of it.

I think you're right that crime rates are lower now. But crime does still happen, so I can understand parents wanting to keep their kids safe.