Today is International Walk to School Day, and Safe Kids Kansas is reminding students to walk or bike safely to schools.
Walking is one of the easiest ways to get physically active, especially when you can incorporate it into your everyday routine. Walk to School day is also an opportunity to talk about safety – how to be safe on sidewalks and roadways.
Unintentional pedestrian injuries are the fifth leading cause of injury-related death in the United States for children ages 5 to 19. Teenagers are now at greatest risk. Teens have a death rate twice that of younger children and account for half of all child pedestrian deaths. So, when you talk to your children about being safe pedestrians, don’t forget to include your teenagers and talk about how distractions, such as texting, playing portable video games, or listening to music, can put you at risk. Remind them to put the technology down and pay attention when around vehicles.
Top safety tips
• Talk to your kids about how to be safe while walking. It’s always best to walk on sidewalks or paths and cross at street corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Teach kids at an early age to put down their devices and then look left, right and left again when crossing the street.
• Children under 10 should cross the street with an adult. Every child is different, but developmentally, it can be hard for kids to judge speed and distance of cars until age 10.
• Remind kids to make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street and to watch out for cars that are turning or backing up.
• When driving, be especially alert in residential neighborhoods and school zones and be on the lookout for bikers, walkers or runners who may be distracted or may step into the street unexpectedly.
Safe Kids Kansas also encourages parents to get out and walk along with their children.
“It is one thing to tell students about pedestrian safety, but it’s even better to show them,” said Cherie Sage, state director of Safe Kids Kansas. “Walk with them and identify hazards along the way, act as role models for making good choices, and give them the tools to be safer pedestrians.”