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| Safe
Routes to School Programs |
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Walk
to School Day Fast Facts
| Environmental
Impact: |
| Short
motor trips contribute significant amounts of air pollution
because they typically occur while an engine’s pollution
control system is cold and ineffective. Shifting 1% of automobile
trips to walking or biking decreases emissions by 2 - 4%.
(www.saferoutestoschool.org)
Motor vehicle use is now generally recognized as the source
of more air pollution than any other single human activity.
(www.saferoutestoschool.org)
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| Pedestrian
Impact: |
| 20
to 25% of morning traffic is parents driving their children
to school.
46% of traffic crashes involving kids as pedestrians occur
when a child darts out into the street. (NHTSA)
50% of children hit by cars near schools are hit by parents
of other students. (Washington State D.O.T.)
Less than 1% of children aged 7 - 15 now ride bicycles to
school, a decrease of more than 60% since the 1970s.
A pedestrian struck by a car traveling at 40 mph has a 15%
chance of survival. At 30 mph there is a 55% chance of survival.
At 20 mph there is an 85% chance of survival.
73% of children between 5 and 9 years old killed in accidents
were riding in cars. (NHTSA)
Almost 40% of pedestrian injuries are due to pedestrians entering
traffic mid-block, often from between parked cars.
Odense, Denmark created a network of traffic-free foot and
bike paths, established slow speed areas, narrowed roads and
installed traffic islands. Accidents fell by 85%. Twenty percent
of all journeys in Denmark are now made by bike compared to
3% in Britain and 1% in the U.S. (Dept. of Environment and
Transport Regions, London England.)
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| Physical
Activity and Health: |
Michigan
ranks second in the nation in the number of overweight people.
61% of adults in Michigan are overweight compared with 57.1%
nationally. (CDC)
39% of Michigan children have elevated cholesterol compared
to the national average of 25%.
25% of Michigan children and youth are overweight and 11% are
considered obese.
Seventeen percent of American children are watching television
more than five hours each day. These youth are 8.3 times more
likely to be overweight than children who watch television for
two hours or less. (The Role of MI Schools in Promoting Healthy
Weight)
Over the past three decades, the proportion of students that
are classified as overweight has almost tripled.
Walking and biking are both excellent forms of exercise, since
they stimulate and maintain muscular strength and good joint
function; involve a large percentage of the body; can be maintained
throughout life; and do not provoke hip, knee or other weight
bearing injuries.
Physical activity helps kids to concentrate, makes them stronger
and more energetic, prevents weight gain, keeps bodies supple,
keeps hair and skin looking good, and contributes to higher
self-esteem, and lower anxiety and stress.
Nationally, childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions
with 4.7 million youths, ages 6 - 17 now overweight or obese.
22% of American children are now considered obese and that number
is doubling every 10 years.
Children who are overweight often feel stigmatized, have lower
self-esteem, and are less likely to engage in physical activity
in order to avoid ridicule from classmates.
Children should have 30 minutes of moderate physical activity
daily and need an additional 20 minutes of vigorous activity
several days per week. Unfortunately, 78% fall short of this
recommendation.
Health professionals agree that exercise patterns need to be
established in childhood to impact or reduce the chances of
coronary heart disease, reduce blood pressure, lower lipids,
retard osteoporosis, counter obesity, improve psychological
well-being and possibly reduce the risk of cancer.
It is well documented that developing healthy eating and physical
activity habits at an early age leads to a lifelong personal
commitment to a healthy lifestyle. |
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