Publication Details
Safe and healthy school environments
Type: chapter
Chapter: Safe school travel
Author(s): Robertson, H. Douglas; Tsai, Jeffrey C.
Editors: Frumkin, Howard; Geller, Robert; Rubin, I. Leslie; Nodvin, Janice
Pages: 295-313
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication Date: 2006
Isbn: 9780195179477
Doi: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195179477.003.0021
Abstract: The trip to school is very much a part of the school environment. Two aspects of this trip bear directly on children's health and safety: the risk of injuries during the journey and the opportunity for health promotion through physically active travel such as walking and bicycling. This chapter addresses the first set of concerns. It briefly describes the risks of school travel and offers suggestions for reducing or minimizing them. The emphasis is on “getting it right” by those who are involved. Several checklists are offered for consideration of the types of actions that might reduce the risks associated with the most common means of school travel. Much of the information in the chapter is drawn from a report published by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Research Council, titled The Relative Risks of School Travel: A National Perspective and Guidance for Local Community Risk Assessment.