Planning Safe Routes to School.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, in 1969 about 50% of all children aged 5-18 either walked or biked to school. By 2001, 85% of all children aged 5-15 were driven to school by either a parent or a bus driver. With the journey between home and school becoming longer and more dangerous due to decades of auto-oriented suburbanization, parents are more concerned than ever about the safety of their children getting to and from school. This article focuses on the hazards children face today as they walk, bike, or ride buses to school in heavy traffic, and offers some solutions to make these trips as safe as possible. Describes Safe Routes to School efforts in the United States and other countries to make walking and biking to school the transportation of choice. Offers a plan of action for formulating and carrying out such a program and information on funding sources. Language: en