Safe Kids Austin, FedEx and the City of Austin joined students and staff fromRodriguez Elementary School toadvocate for safe walking environments for children Wednesday, October 9. The group of students, accompanied by Austin Police Department officers and many other volunteers, carried banners and signs in a “walking school bus” formation leading from Franklin Park to Rodriguez Elementary School.
According to the World Health Organization, road traffic injuries are the second leading cause of death among children ages five to 14 worldwide. In the United States, more than 61 child pedestrians are injured every day, severely enough to seek medical attention, and almost 500 children are killed every year. Safe Kids Austin and FedEx are working together through a national Safe Kids program called Walk This Way to raise awareness, promote pedestrian safety, create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of increasing physical activity among children.
