Webinar: Connecting Safe Routes to School with Health

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) has the potential for catalyzing a substantial improvement in transportation’s effect on health. Over 50 million students and nearly 5 million teachers travel to school each day.  Trips to school via walking or bicycling are on the decline. In 1969, 50% of children walked or bicycled to school, but by 2001, only 15% walked or bicycled. In some cities, it has been estimated that up to 25% of peak morning travel is due to parents driving their children to school. Concurrently, as this loss of utilitarian physical activity has occurred, rates of chronic diseases associated with low levels of physical activity, like diabetes, are rising, and injury and environmentally-mediated diseases remain important causes of childhood illness.

In this 60 minute webinar, Arthur Wendel will discuss how SRTS could provide a host of health benefits. Such as, how walking or bicycling to school can increase physical activity, provided children do not reduce other forms of activity. And how, by reducing automobile trips to school, less air pollution will be created, and by designing the infrastructure surrounding schools to support safe travel, trips made by walking or bicycling could be safer. He will also discuss the other positive benefits, such as increased social capital or improved academic performance that might be realized, as well as, the effect of Safe Routes to School infrastructure on others beyond the student population.

This webinar is part of the Safe Routes to School Coaching Action Network Webinar Series, developed by America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School.