What are the 5 Es?
One of the cornerstones of Safe Routes to School is the acknowledgement that safer walking and biking routes can best be accomplished through a combination of infrastructure and noninfrastructure projects and programs. These are known collectively as the “5 Es”: Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement, and Evaluation. Education programs are primarily aimed at helping children build their pedestrian, bicycling, traffic, and social skills, but also include programs that educate parents and other motorists. Educational examples include pedestrian and bicycle safety workshops, personal safety training and brochures advising parents on correct pick-up/drop-off procedures. Educational programs are most effective if they are ongoing, rather than a one-time event. Encouragement, through activities, programs, and contests, provides incentives for children to walk and ride to school. Examples include establishing walking clubs and mileage clubs and organizing walking school busses and
