1. Vermont Agency of Transportation Safe Routes to School Program at [INSERT NAME OF SCHOOL] Date

2. Today’s Presentation SRTS Overview The 5 E’s SRTS at Our School Next Steps www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 2

3. Safe Routes to School History Comprehensive approach to student travel and safety began in Europe – late 1970s Embraced by U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – 1998 National Safe Routes to School Program funded in SAFETEA-LU www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 3

4. What is Safe Routes to School? Enables children to walk and bicycle to school. Planning, development, and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution in the vicinity of schools. www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 4

5. Why Is It Important? Children are walking or bicycling to school less: –Past - over 70% –Present - less than 15% In VT, as many as 65% of school kids are routinely driven to school School transportation operating costs in the U.S. exceed $14 billion annually The estimated cost of obesity related illnesses in VT is $141 million per year www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 5

6. Children’s Health Risks Prevalence of overweight children Sharp increase in cases of type 2 diabetes Pedestrian injuries are the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among kids. Asthma rates in kids have increased 160% in the past 15 years www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 6

7. Children’s Health Risks Speeding increases severity of injury Speeding reduces the driver’s field of vision www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 7 Source: FHWA

8. More social interaction Increased independence Increased physical activity Improved pedestrian skills Community design Less reliance on automobile Decreased neighborhood/ school traffic Reduced fear of crime Many reasons walk and bike to school Why Walk and Bike to School? www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 8

9. Safe Routes to School Approach 5 E’s –Education –Encouragement –Engineering –Enforcement –Evaluation www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 9

10. Education WalkSmart / BikeSmart Vermont In-classroom training In-field training Bikeology Bike Rodeo www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 10

11. Encouragement Walking Wednesdays Walking School Bus/Bicycle Trains Way to Go Week (May) International Walk to School Day (October) Vermont Walk to School Day (April) www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 11

12. Engineering Traffic calming Sidewalks School drop off/pick up zones Intersection improvements www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 12

13. Enforcement Speed Enforcement in School Zones Bike Helmet Reminders Crossing Guard Training www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 13

14. Evaluation Parent Survey –Measure parents attitudes Classroom Student Tallies –Measures current behavior Walk Audit –Assessment of roads & sidewalks in the vicinity of the schools www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 14

15. [Your School Name Here] School Completed and Ongoing Activities –X www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 15

16. [Your School Name Here] School Next Steps –X www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 16

17. How You Can Help: Event coordination Assessment of walking and bicycling conditions Leaders for Walking School Buses and Bike Trains Volunteers for Bicycle Safety Fair Data collection If you are interested in helping out the best thing you can do is join our SRTS team! www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 17

18. Find Out More……. Learn more about Safe Routes to School www.saferoutes.vermont.gov www.saferoutes.vermont.gov Attend our next SRTS Team meeting [date] Contact me at [your email and phone here] www.saferoutes.vermont.gov 18