Did you know that there is a local program concerned solely with Sacramento pedestrian safety? It is known as WALKSacramento and one of its accomplishments is that it has succeeding in bringing what is known as “Safe Routes” to area schools, increasing the likelihood that our children make it to school on foot safely and without incident.
In recent years, the number of children that walk or bike to school has decreased significantly. The Safe Routes to School program (which is national) is designed to reverse that trend by providing safe and convenient routes for kids to get to school without the use of a motorized vehicle.
40 years ago over half of schoolchildren walked or biked to school, and a vast majority lived within a mile of their school. Today, a mere 15% or less of school kids walk or bike to their classrooms. This alarming trend has not only contributed to rising childhood obesity, but it has added traffic to morning commutes as parents drive their children to school.
The Safe Routes to School programs study traffic and roadway conditions around school grounds and implement programs in order to increase accessibility and improve safety for walkable/rideable routes to the schools. In addition to increasing physical activity and decreasing traffic congestion, walking and biking to schools decreases the air pollution surrounding the school zone.
Within the greater Sacramento Area, the City of Citrus Heights & its San Juan Unified School District embarked upon a 3-year study of walk assessments at 11 schools within that district. Working with Safe Routes, they developed a walk and bike to school encouragement program, as well as created a master plan based on Safe Routes to School tactics.
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento pedestrian accident attorney with the most informative and comprehensive accident site on the internet, www.AutoAccident.com. If you or someone you know has been injured in an automobile accident due to the negligence of another driver, please feel free to call me for free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400. If you are outside of the Sacramento region, call toll free at (800) 404-5400. Be sure to read my reviews at Yelp! and Avvo.