Drivers should be extra careful on school routes Wednesday as many students will take to the street.
It’s part of International Walk to School Day, which raises awareness of the need to create safer routes for walking and bicycling, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. It also emphasizes the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, and concern for the environment.
Statewide, it’s expected that 100,000 students in more than 375 schools will walk and bike to school on Wednesday, along with parents, teachers and community leaders.
“Bicycle and pedestrian safety is a top initiative for the department,” said FDOT chief safety officer Lora Hollingsworth, in a release. “Walking to school creates healthy habits for students and families, and we want to ensure a safe way for them to get there and home safely.”
Organizations that support the walking program include America Walks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Highway Administration, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the National Center for Safer Routes to School, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safe Kids Worldwide, and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.
For more information on the event, visit WalkBikeToSchool.org, SafeRoutesInfo.org, and IWalkToSchool.org.
