However, before you permit your child to peddle to school, take a safety ride together. Drive your bicycles on the safest route to the middle school or high school near your home. Review all safety precautions with your child making sure he or she is familiar with the rules of the road.
If biking to school doesn’t agree with you, perhaps you can encourage your child to hoof it. If that solution is agreed upon, again, review the safest and most direct route to his campus and review the rules of the road for pedestrians. Along the route, pick intersections with crossing guards to increase your child’s safety.
For some children, school maybe too far away for a safe walk or bike ride. In that case, make sure you have a carpool in place with drivers you can trust. If you or someone else drops the children at school, make sure they deposit the children on school grounds and not across the street from the campus. There are too many cars zipping by to make crossing in the middle of the street safe.
Whether your child rides a bike, walks, or car-pools it to school, safety must be a priority.
Learn more about Michael Thal on his website.