SAFE WALKING AND BIKING TO SCHOOL

Program ini dilakukan di lingkungan kelas menengah-atas di California. Program yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan siswa yang berangkat sekolah dengan naik sepeda atau pun jalan kaki. Program ini termasuk menyediakan rute yang aman untuk siswa, kompetisi frekuensi bersepeda, edukasi di kelas, dan promosi dengan poster. Berikut detil kegiatan lengkap program ini:

o    Mapping Safe Routes to School o    Town-wide programs established to identify and create safe routes for walking and biking to each school. o    Volunteers walk the routes and report findings to the group documenting routes for their school. o    Findings pooled on a master map. o    Solutions to make walking and biking safer are designed (sidewalks, improved pedestrian signage and crossings, a pedestrian bridge,extension of existing bike trail, bike lanes, etc.). o    Funds for needed traffic infrastructure changes are obtained through grant applications, public presentations leading to donations, and local government funds. o    Walk and Bike to School Days o    All schools participate in “International Walk to School Day” (beginning of October); many schools also have scheduled monthly or even weekly “Walk to School Days.” o    Many schools provide drinks and treats to children walking or biking to school. o    “Staging Areas” are established where students who live too far away can be dropped off and then walk the rest of the way to school. o    Some schools also encourage children to take school buses rather than travel by private vehicle. o    Frequent Rider Miles Contest o    Children are issued “tally cards” with 20 possible points per card. o    Children earn 2 points for walking or biking and 1 point for taking the bus or carpooling. o    At 20 points, children get a small prize and can enter a raffle for larger prizes. o    Children are encouraged to submit multiple cards for the raffle during the contest period. o    Classroom Education o    Safety training is provided through videos, discussions, presentations, and hands-on “bicycle rodeos.” A “toolkit,” developed by the program and available to all participating schools, includes curriculum guidelines for teaching pedestrian and biking safety. o    Using age-appropriate, local examples, children were taught about transportation choices and the environment, physical activity for health, the power of community involvement, and the interrelatedness of all species and habitats. o    In one middle school, children produce their own videos on “the role bicycles play in our society.” o    Walking School Buses and Bike Trains o    Organized groups of children that walk and bike together are called “walking school buses” and “bike trains,” respectively. These groups allow parents to share the responsibility of supervising children’s trips and provide the children with a group of friends to travel with. o    Geographic mapping systems showing the homes of the participating children facilitate establishment of these walking and biking groups. o    Some schools posted these geographic maps along with parent contact information to facilitate formation of “walking school buses” and “bike trains.” o    Newsletters and Promotions o    Throughout the year, the volunteer team leaders at each school are supplied with template flyers, fact sheets, posters, and newsletters (newsletters are also mailed to elected officials, town staffers, and other interested parties). o    Local newspapers have run feature articles about the program. o    The program uses an e-mail listserv, an e-mail distribution list, and a Web site (see “Resources”). o    An annual countywide forum is held to welcome new schools to the program and allow participating teams of volunteers at all schools to meet and talk with one another. o    Networking and Presentations on the State and National Level o   Safe Routes to School staff have been invited speakers at numerous state, national, and international conferences.

Program ini tidak terlalu membutuhkan banyak biaya jika melibatkan berbagai pihak. Sebagai contoh untuk pengamanan rute dan menyeberangkan jalan, dapat melibatkan pihak kepolisian. Edukasi dapat dilakukan oleh guru jika materi cukup jelas. Bahan promosi dan edukasi seperti leaflet dan poster dapat diperoleh dari siswa dengan lomba poster.

Staunton, C. E., Hubsmith, D., Kallins, W., & for the Marin County Bicycle Coalition’s Safe Routes to School Program. (2003). Promoting Safe Walking and Biking to School: The Marin County Success Story. American Journal of Public Health, 93(9), 1431–1434.