What Parents Should Know About Children Bicycling To School

As school is back in session in Florida, parents and groups involved in Palm Beach County schools are attempting to get traffic problems under control – urging more parents and students to start walking and biking to school.
School officials have received many complaints about the traffic problems around the school, but there is a bigger issue at hand.

Children on bicycles are hard to see, which could lead to Florida bicycle accidents.

If there is that much traffic around schools, putting children on bicycles seems to be a risky move. However, school authorities believe that if parents would organize a supervised walking and biking group, then drivers of vehicles would be more aware of children on bicycles and could avoid South Florida bicycle accidents.

Since 2004, South Florida Commuter Services has been teamed up with school district officials to implement the commuter group’s SchoolPool program, and they hope to expand to Broward County, Martin County, and St. Lucie County this year.

The SchoolPool program gets parents of students to start carpooling and organizing biking and walking groups. Palm Beach County school district has attempted to help the traffic issue out by using Florida Department of Transportation grants to encourage biking and walking to school.

The district granted two Riviera Beach schools, and they will host safety fairs to recruit bicyclists and walkers. They will also give away bicycle helmets and pedometers. In addition, 12 other district schools have been identified that are starting to increase groups of student walkers and bicyclists.

For child safety, children on bicycles should always:

• Wear a bicycle helmet
• Look both ways before crossing the street
• Have an adult present at all times
• Stay in groups