Pedestrian Safety
KidsWalk-to-School Encourages Pedestrian Safety
The number one reason parents do not allow their children to walk to school is a fear for their safety. The safety of children as pedestrians is a real concern. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that one-fourth of children between the ages of 5 and 9 who were killed in traffic crashes in 1998 were pedestrians. Children in this age group have not developed the skills and experience to navigate traffic safely and judge speed and distance. Therefore, it is important to teach and practice safe pedestrian skills with our children as well as provide responsible adult supervision as they travel to and from school.
KidsWalk-to-School encourages improved safety on the walk to and from school by
- 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. In addition, neighborhoods can work together to form a Neighborhood Watch Program.
Learn more about the Neighborhood Watch Program* from the National Crime Prevention Council.
Related Information
- Active Community Environments Initiative
- CDC's Safe USA Guide for Walking Safety
- Bike Hub: CDC's National Bicycle Safety Network
- CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Please note: Some of these publications are available for download only as *.pdf files. These files require Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to be viewed. Please review the information on downloading and using Acrobat Reader software.
* Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.
Page last updated: May 22, 2007
Content Source: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion