How to Stay Safe When Walking to School

Many Riverdale Park and University Park children walk to school each morning and afternoon. Although many intersections around town have crossing guards, there are some safety tips for parents to remind their children.

According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly one-third of the 5-year-old to 9-year-old children killed by motor vehicles are on foot.

The Centers for Disease Control listed a few tips for families who walk to school.

• Encouraging children to walk in groups.
• Organizing responsible adults to accompany the children as they walk to and from school.
• Teaching and practicing safe pedestrian behavior on the walk to and from school.
• Empowering neighborhoods to work together with local agencies, such as the department of public works, to identify and create safe routes to school.
• Partnering with local police to enforce speeds in and around the neighborhood and school.
• Provide crossing guards for children on their way to and from school.
• In addition to traffic safety, fear of bullies or gangs loitering at street corners, or strangers lurking in our neighborhoods may affect a parent's willingness to allow their children to walk to school. By encouraging children to walk in groups accompanied by adults, the risk of danger is decreased in these situations.

The CDC encourages schools and parents to create a walking groups so that children can walk together with at least one adult.