Highland students have taken hold of their parents’ hands and stretched their legs for a special walk to school.
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Walk Safely to School Day is May 19, where everyone is encouraged to ditch their cars and create regular walking habits.
Wingello Public School students walked together, and received a sticker and healthy breakfast as a reward.
“We’ve done this for a number of years, and it’s a way for us to promote the health benefits of walking and for us to know our students can achieve this safely,” Wingello Public School student admininstration manager Helen Robson said.
“It’s also good for the children to walk with their parents instead of drive.”
Children can also learn how to walk home safely from school.
It is encouraged that parents hold their children’s hands on the footpath, in car parks and when crossing the road until they are eight, and supervise children closely under the age of 10.
Stop, Look, Listen, Think are steps each child should take before crossing a road:
- Stop one step back from the road
- Look continuously both ways for traffic
- Listen for sounds of approaching traffic
- Think whether it is safe to cross
It is also important to teach your children about the dangers of crossing the road while using a mobile phone or other device.
Walking to and from school also helps reduce air pollution from vehicles, encourages independence from vehicles, teaches children vital road-crossing skills from an early age and reduces obesity rates.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in four Australian children are overweight or obese.
Find information about road safety for children at https://safetytown.com.au/.
