Biking, walking to school actually best choices for kids

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BY BARB FRASER

Recent headlines may  concern  the parents of schoolchildren:  “School steps up safety after reports of lurker” and “Kindergartner hit by car while waiting for bus.”   

A parent’s knee-jerk reaction might be to place them in the car, buckle them up and drive them to the front door of their school, or anywhere else for that matter. 

But is that the safest option or the best choice for the kids of our community? 

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Studies note that children are far more likely to be injured or killed while riding in a motor vehicle than while walking or bicycling.  In a national survey, 12 percent of parents cited that crime danger would keep them from allowing children to walk or bicycle to school. Statistically, the numbers are pretty low that children will be kidnapped, but this fear looms large. It is important to address concerns of both real and perceived dangers.

On the other hand, there are rising concerns about the rates of obesity in children and very real health risks associated with not allowing our kids to get out and walk and/or bike more. 

The percentage of 6- to 11-year-olds and 12- to 19-year-olds who are considered severely overweight tripled in the past 30 years. Public health and medical professionals have suggested the current generation of children may be the first who will not live as long as their parents, and they could suffer many debilitating aspects of chronic diseases related to obesity. Studies show that children who walk and bicycle are alert and ready to learn when they get to school and more easily achieve health goals of physical activity.

With gas prices rising higher and higher, walk and bike trips become more appealing and cost effective. Environmental concerns are another reason to consider a walk/bike route to school. 

The Lincoln/Lancaster County Health Department’s Air Quality Section estimates that for every 10 miles driven, 1 pound of air pollution is created. In fact, cars and trucks cause about 75 percent of all air pollution in Lincoln. National estimates suggest that the “school run” adds 20 percent to 30 percent to traffic volume during the morning commute.

A number of children are afflicted with asthma, which can be worsened by exposure to air pollutants. Having fewer cars on the street can make for healthier and safer walkers and cyclists.

I  remember  the first time my third- and fifth-grade children took off for school on their own. We reviewed safety rules, tried out the route once in the evening and even rode a good part of the way with them the first time. I watched them ride their bicycles until I couldn’t see them anymore, and still I worried. Did they make it across the streets OK?  Did they get to school on time? Again, I worried at the end of the school day. Would they get home in one piece? How long would it take them?

These are fears that any parent might have. They made it to school and back home in good time, with a sense of exhilaration that they had made it all by themselves, and they rolled their eyes at their mother for being so paranoid. They were a little weary but felt good about it and were eager to make the trip by themselves another day.

There is a movement across the country known as Safe Routes to School, where communities are taking it upon themselves to make every effort to encourage more kids to walk and bike to school. Certainly it takes some effort to ensure that it is safe for kids. Based on research with successful programs, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  has identified key practices in order to provide comprehensive, effective, safe routes to school, including:

n A community belief in the value of safe and active transportation for children.

n Drivers are educated about how they contribute to traffic congestion and increase the risk to children.  They are alert and yield to child pedestrians and bicyclists.

n Children and parents understand how to walk and bicycle safely.

n Laws are enforced that support and protect walkers and bicyclists.

n Community design and facilities support walking and cycling with sidewalks, bike lanes and trails.

For the first time, there is federal  funding available for these programs. See www.SafeRoutesNE.com for more information. Several Lincoln kids are taking part in walking school buses where an adult takes a group of kids on a walking route to and from school to ensure that they get there safely. Many of these programs have had great success in Europe, Canada, California and many other states.

It is up to our community to decide what kind of an environment that we want for our kids as they are getting to and from school. LPS just decided to allot 1.5 million dollars to ensure that kids are safer once they reach the school doors. What are we as a community willing to invest in terms of our time, attention and resources to ensure their health, well-being and safety from their homes to schools?

Barb Fraser is co-chairperson for Lincoln in Motion and a member of the Safe Routes Nebraska Select Committee.