Moving Toward Safer Routes to School

GOALS

• What is the problem?

• What are the barriers to walking and biking?

• What is Safe Routes to School??

• How do we get started?

• How do we make it happen on the ground?

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1985

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1986

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1987

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1988

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1989

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1990

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1991

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1992

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1993

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1994

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1995

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1996

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1997

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1998

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1999

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2000

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2001

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 2002

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2003

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2004

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

OBESITY EPIDEMIC?

Epidemic of Poor Nutrition and Inactivity

Why should we care?

• This generation of children may be the first generation not to outlive their parents due to unhealthy lifestyles.

Is Physical Inactivity Really a Is Physical Inactivity Really a Problem in Montana?Problem in Montana?

– 22% of Montana High School students are overweight or at risk for becoming overweight– 26% of Montana high school students and 30% of Montana 7th and 8th graders watch 3 or more hours of TV on a school night

2005 YRBS DATA

• Prevalence of overweight children has tripled.

• Sharp increase in cases of type 2 diabetes in children.

• Pedestrian injury is the 2nd leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children (8-14 yr olds).

• Asthma rates have increased 160% in the past 15 years in children. (CDC data)

Children’s Health RisksRelated to Physical Inactivity, Pedestrian

Safety, and Air Quality

Educational Benefits

Studies have shown that increased physical activity for children:

• Increases concentration

• Improves mood and ability to be alert

• Improves memory and learning

• Enhances creativity

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

A Practical application to improve health through increased activity,

decrease fuel consumption,decrease traffic at the school, increase air

quality, and just have fun!!

The Need for Safe Routes• In 1969 roughly half of all children walked or biked

to school. Today, only about 15 percent walk or bike.

• There are more than three times as many overweight children today as there were 25 years ago.

• As much as 20 to 30% of morning rush hour traffic can be parents driving children to schools.

What encourages bicycling & walking?

• Land use mix.• Network of bike &

pedestrian facilities.• Site design and

details.• Safety.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS)

Safe Routes to School programs seek to make it safe, convenient and fun for children to walk and bike to school.

What else?

• Facilitate projects and activities in the vicinity of schools that will:– Improve safety– Reduce traffic– Reduce air pollution– Reduce fuel consumption– Improve health, reduce risk of obesity

The 5 E’s

The most successful programs incorporate the 5Es: • Evaluation• Education• Encouragement • Engineering• Enforcement

Evaluation

• Community assessments of walking/bicycling facilities and programs

• Survey parents and kids

• Tracking and performance monitoring

Education

• Teach kids about safe behaviors when walking and biking

• School curriculum covering transportation, health and environmental issues

• SRTS trainings

• Community Education/Awareness for increased safety

Encouragement

• Walking School Bus/Bike Train

• Frequent Rider Miles

• Walk to School Day/Week

• Walk and Roll Wednesdays

• Media attention

• Public awareness campaigns

Engineering

• Pedestrian and bicycle improvements

• Bicycle and pedestrian facilities– Sidewalks, trails, bike paths

• Traffic calming

• Secure bicycle parking facilities

Enforcement

• Working with local police to enforce speed zones

• Crossing guards• Helmet use

enforcement• Pedestrian “stings”

Barriers

• School Siting issues

• Individual barriers

• Community Issues

What do parents and kids say?

• Distance 62%• Traffic 30%• Weather 19%• Other 15%• Crime 12%• School Policy 6% Barriers to Children Walking to or from School—United States, 2004. MMWR 2005

Environments support cars, not people

Who should be involved?

• School administrators, teachers• Parents, students, school nurses• Law enforcement officers• City engineers, planners, elected officials, traffic

safety councils• Bike and pedestrian advocates• Neighborhood associations, business community,

etc.