Regionally, 15 percent of rush hour traffic is attributable to parents driving their kids to school. School is starting again along with the question of how to get your children to school. Walking or biking to school has numerous benefits for your child and your family and can even help cut down on school traffic.
Most of us walked or biked to school as children. In 2001, only 16 percent of kids biked or walked to school as opposed to 42 percent in 1969, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Benefits of having your kids bike or walk to school include:
It is healthier. Your son or daughter will now have two short periods of physical activity each school day for a total of 10 separate times. Your child will be less likely to be overweight and less likely to become sick. The percent of overweight children (6- to 11-years-old) has doubled in the past 30 years, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Burning off a little energy in the morning will allow her to better concentrate at school. Burning off a little energy in the afternoon will mean he is less likely to be bouncing off the walls when he gets home and will be able to better study and do homework. Saving money. Gas is around $4 per gallon. Additionally, the first five miles of a car trip are when a car’s engine is the least efficient. Saving time. Most schools now have a drop off procedure that involves cars waiting in a line for drop off. By going by bike, you bypass the line.
The route you drive is not likely to be the same route you will ride. Use low-traffic residential streets and sidepaths or bike paths. Use sidewalks, when paths are not available, for children younger than nine-years-old but be sure to watch out for cars backing out of drive ways. Use intersections where there are stop signs, traffic signals or crossing guards when possible. Practice the route on a weekend or other day there is no school. Bring a snack. Ride there, play on the playground equipment and eat a snack and then ride home. Is the route safe? Can your child ride the whole distance? Maybe a tag-a-long bike or bike trailer hooked up to your bike will be better options.
Bicycling is a safe activity but you and your child will still both need helmets and will need to make sure you are wearing the helmets correctly.
Besides a bike and helmet, you will need a lock for your child’s bike. A combination lock might be best unless you have a spare key. Special bike clothes are not needed but a wind-resistant out layer would be beneficial. Remember that, if your son or daughter is pedaling, they will be generating heat and may not need as heavy of a coat.
Since children are shorter than adults, it is harder for them to see over cars and it is also harder for drivers to see them. Children often cannot judge the speed of cars and may think that the driver will “look out for them” the same way a parent would. Until about nine- or ten-years-old, most children will still need an adult to help them cross the street. Besides biking with them yourself, you can look into whether your school has a “walking school bus” or “bike train.”
For more tips on bike safety for children, visit the League of Illinois Bicyclists’ Kids Safety Information page.