Safe Steps: Back-to-School Biking and Walking Tips
Education, Property & Casualty
Monica Schraml
Client Executive As Schools and Families “gear up” for back to school, many students will be planning their biking and walking routes.
For students who live close enough, riding a bike or walking to school is a great way to start the day with some fresh air and exercise. It is fun and it helps promote a healthy active lifestyle.
Schools can help encourage this healthy practice by letting families know they have implemented important safety measures.
Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
Communicate with your staff, students and families
- Provide students and staff with information on biking safety. (See resources at the end of this article.)
- Encourage all riders to wear helmets.
- Anticipate biking routes through parking lots. Place extra orange cones, directional signs or have volunteers available to direct bikers to designated routes.
- Remind bikers to walk their bike through congested areas and on school sidewalks.
- Provide extra storage for bikes in an area where they will not create a hazard.
Is your community bike and pedestrian friendly?
- Raise awareness in the community of the first day of school and the increased number of walkers and kids on bikes during their morning commute.
- Keep sidewalks clear. Encourage the use of bike paths and bike lanes.
- Students can make posters promoting “share the road” and “watch for bikes” safety messages to post around town at the library, community buildings and area businesses.
- Contact your local news crew or have the school newspaper write articles for publication for back-to-school safety.
Communicate with your municipality
- Determine if bikers and walkers need additional assistance with extra staffing, crossing guards or police patrols.
- Identify challenging intersections near school.
- Consider the use of electronic signs to remind drivers to slow down and watch for students heading back to school.
