Many parents would like to allow their children to walk or bike to school but are afraid of letting them be alone. Escort programs address the immediate need for safety and complement more permanent infrastructure improvements. The Walking School Bus concept involves adult volunteers who accompany children to school, stopping at designated locations where children can join the ‘bus’ at pre-arranged times. The primary benefit of the Walking School Bus is that it provides a consistent, supervised system in which children can walk to school under the watchful eye of adults.

Benefits of the Walking School Bus concept include:

• Increasing safe passage of students who already walk.
• Encouraging additional students to walk, introducing them to an important and easy form of exercise.
• Reduces auto traffic, particularly near schools during drop-off and pick-up times.
• Strengthening communities by getting parents and students to work together for a common good.

Five key steps to forming a Walking School Bus Program:

1. Form a Walking School Bus Working Group (This might include parents, students, the school principal, teachers and local businesses).

2. Recruit Walking School Bus Drivers (Get the word out with neighbors and parents of the students that this group is forming and is looking for adult volunteers).

3. Organize the Walking School Bus Drivers (Work out a regular schedule among the drivers; determine who can walk with the students and when. Also include back-up plans for substitute drivers if the regular drivers cannot take part on any given day).

4. Designate Walking School Bus Routes (Many parents already know how best to get around their neighborhood on foot, but in some instances routes may need to be mapped out. Work with the police department and the school to determine the safest route).

5. Promote the Walking School Bus Locally (Once the drivers and routes are set, let everyone in the neighborhood know about the project. The more who participate, the better).

 For more information on the walking school concept, consult:

1. The Walking School Bus: Bringing Schools and Communities Together to Create Safer Walking Environments for Kids – NHTSA
2. Walking to School Bus Guide for Parents and Teachers
3. Chicago Walking School Bus Program

For additional resources on safety, consult:

• Active Community Environments Initiative
• CDC's Safe USA Guide for Walking Safety
• Bike Hub: CDC's National Bicycle Safety Network
• CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
• Mean Streets 2000: State Pedestrian Safety, Health, and Spending Statistics
• FBI for Kids & Youth: Safety Tips