Elected leaders, school administrators, and other policy makers can support can walking and biking to school with a variety of policy reforms. We need your support to help make it safer for our children to walk and bike to school.
Statistics
- In 1969, half of all kids walked to school. Today that number is less than 15%
- Today, nearly one in three young people is either obese or overweight
- The child obesity rate is four times greater among children ages 6-11 than it was a generation ago (the same rate has tripled for adolescents ages 12-19)
- Only one-third of children are getting DHHS’ recommended level of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day
- Up to 30% of morning traffic comes from parents driving their kids to school, and traffic crashes are the top cause of injury and death to US kids under 18.
Policies
. BikeWalkKC can advise, provide technical assistance, consulting, and more to elected leaders, school administrators, and other policy makers.
- Complete Streets – designing streets to safely and comfortably work for everyone
- Joint Use Agreements – schools and communities partnering to allow access to playgrounds and other school faclities
- School Siting – putting new schools in places that allow biking and walking to school.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Task Team
BikeWalkKC co-chairs this sub-committee of the regional Destination Safe coalition. It brings together professionals and advocates in transportation, public health, education, health care, planning, engineering, and more.