Are Walking and Biking to School Hazardous?
Walking and biking to school can indeed be hazardous. One of the goals of the Safe Routes to School Program is to identify potential hazards near school grounds and adjacent neighborhoods and develop plans to address them. Even when routes to and from school are apparently safe, risks remain. However, the current reliance on automobiles to transport children represents a different kind of risk: the long-term risks from a sedentary lifestyle. Health experts are predicting that rates of diseases associated with physical inactivity, such as diabetes, will soar as the next generation comes of age. Back To Top What are some of the Barriers to Walking and Biking to School? The main barriers to walking and bicycling to school are distance from the school, community design, safety, and time and convenience. Many neighborhoods, especially new subdivision, are not designed for the convenience of the pedestrian. They do not have sidewalks, or safe crossings, or are too far from the school to walk
