Even if kids want to walk or bike to school, in today's world there are often obstacles. Busy schedules, stranger danger, and dangerous intersections contribute to the trend of parents dropping kids off instead of letting them walk.

Safe Routes to School, a federally funded program, tries to eliminate some of those hurdles and help kids get more activity in their day by walking to school. The program focuses on why kids aren't walking to school in the first place. They may repair sidewalks, build bike paths, involve local police, and encourage parent involvement to make the commute safer. The organization celebrates Walk to School Month each October, so it's a great time to take a
look at our own communities to see if there are improvements that we could make.

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