There is a way to break the cycle. A new movement is emerging that is focusing on getting kids back on their feet and their bikes again. Parent and neighborhood groups, school and local officials, and traffic engineers are working together to make streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists along heavily traveled routes to school, while encouraging both parents and their kids to take advantage of the many benefits of getting around on foot or by bike. Children are less active. It stimulates and maintains muscular strength and good joint function.
Children are better able to tackle the academic day.
They have improved concentration, enhanced memory and learning, enhanced creativity and better problem solving ability. In order to encourage more children to walk or bike, parents need to trust that it s both safe and convenient from a variety of perspectives. While a concern among some parents is the threat of violence as well as child abduction, parents surveyed recently by the California Department of Health Services cited the fear of traffic as one of their top concerns in allowing their kids to walk or bike to school. They noted the importance of stronger traffic education programs, better enforcement of traffic laws, and projects and programs to help slow down the speed of residential traffic. Indeed, it s exactly this type of comprehensive approach to traffic safety problems that s been shown to be most effective in creating safer streets and promoting increased walking and bicycling among Californians of all ages.