She says that the world is safer now for kids than it was when she grew up, but I wonder about that. Precisely because there are so few kids roaming the streets

She says that the world is safer now for kids than it was when she grew up, but I wonder about that. Precisely because there are so few kids roaming the streets, the ones that still do may be more at risk because e.g. drivers don't expect them. For a marvellous account of children being raised without any parental guidance, read Bill Bryson's "The Life And Times Of The Thunderbolt Kid." Highly recommended.