tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614760608725061478.post130227827916558793..comments2023-07-18T06:01:05.816-07:00Comments on Transportation Problems and Policy: Op-Ed: Active Transportation in High School: A New FrontierUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614760608725061478.post-25169435292876066402013-06-04T07:29:29.237-07:002013-06-04T07:29:29.237-07:00That's a really good point Brett. I think it w...That's a really good point Brett. I think it would take a lot of education and outreach to convince some parents. For example, according to the NHTSA (http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/People/PeopleAllVictims.aspx), there were 4751 traffic-related deaths for people age 20 and younger in 2011; 3,410 of those were ages 16-20 and this jump right at 16 leads me to believe that these deaths were mostly people in cars. There's also the issue of the ever-increasing number of teen deaths and severe illnesses due to lack of exercise. The idea that driving is (in general) "safer" is something that needs to be discussed and put into perspective. <br /><br />I grew up in Springfield, OR and while the main roads are not all that safe for kids just starting out in active transportation, there is enough connectivity with the low-traffic neighborhood roads to schools to provide students with a safe commute. However, this is definitely not the case everywhere and there would have to be a great deal of effort put into establishing safe routes, providing maps of these routes to students, encouraging group commutes (possibly with a supervising teacher, BTA instructor or parent), working with parents and local officials to raise awareness and a multitude of other things. Hopefully at some point the "strength in numbers" effect would kick in and the idea that AT is dangerous wouldn't be such a prevalent concern for parents.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04170407691193216811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614760608725061478.post-35175717755218423722013-06-03T15:01:04.872-07:002013-06-03T15:01:04.872-07:00Very interesting op-ed! Growing up in suburban Ch...Very interesting op-ed! Growing up in suburban Chicago many students resorted to the bus or getting rides from parents or friends of parents up until 8th grade. Then once driving was an option many shifted to driving alone or with a group of friends. However, very few walked and the schools were not supportive of bicycling to school. <br /><br />When crossing busy, higher speeds roads, and lack of connectivity is an issue how do you encourage kids to travel to school by active transport? This is especially true in suburban settings. In addition, parents are often very protective and do their kids a disservice by driving them and not allowing them to walk or bike, which is important for growth. I'm curious how the programs vary by rural, suburban, and urban areas.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15778990796034326149noreply@blogger.com