Walk Smart to School!

Tomorrow is International Walk to School Day, a day when many school children choose to skip the family car or schoolbus and walk to school instead.

But for many families in Bloomfield, walking to school is a choice they make every day. 

According to school district members and health educators, walking to school is a safer, healthier option that not only benefits the environment, but is of enormous benefit to children.  They say walking to school promotes fitness, enhances self-esteem and a instills a sense of good judgement in kids.

"My children walked to school at a very early age," said Mary Shaughnessy, President of the Bloomfield Board of Education and mother of two. "By the time my children were in the second and fourth grade, I had them walking together to school on their own.”

Kids need to Walk Smart 

Shaughnessy said that she advocates for children walking to school because she believes it creates a sense of responsibility and competence; however, she remains mindful of everyday dangers. 

"We thought of strategies in case something ever happened to them," she said of her children. "We had designated houses they could run to, or adults they could call if they ever felt threatened."

Traffic remains a big risk

According to an article on NJ.com, approximately 150 pedestrians per year have been killed on New Jersey streets since 2004. In 2009, that number reached 159 after a three-year decline, according the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety. Indeed, pedestrian accidents account for 25 percent of all traffic fatalities in New Jersey. 

However, many believe these accidents are preventable and measures have been taken in order to assure a decrease in fatalities.

In April 2010, New Jersey revised a law to requires drivers to completely stop as soon as a pedestrian enters a crosswalk. Before that, drivers needed only to "yeild." The revised law states that if a person fails to comply, they are subject to a $200 fine, up from the previous $100, and 15 days of community service. According to the state’s website, half of the $200 fine is sent to the State Treasurer to be placed in the Safety Enforcement and Education Fund.

Greater awarenes/fewer violations?

"I think there should be more compliance with the laws, and that they are a good thing," said Paula Zaccone, a health educator at Seton Hall and recent member of the Bloomfield Board of Education. "If people were tested on the laws, I think many would fail. I think if there was more awareness of the laws, then there would be fewer violations."

Zaccone, whose focus is educational outreach, believes in a "cooperated, coordinated approach" to learning. She believes that it is important to educate both the children and family, getting the community involved. She has experience working at both the college and high school levels and believes that teaching children practical strategies and skills is the best way to prevent street accidents.

Preparing kids with strategies can increase safety

"In class, we practice scenarios such as someone coming up to you and saying their puppy was lost and asking you to ride around the block with them," she said. "I ask my college student what they would do and they laugh at me a little, but, with kids, I've found that they are much more creative. I had one kid tell me that I should get the license plate number of the car and that, if I didn't have a pencil, I should write it in the dirt with a stick."

Zaccone adds that practicing these skills teaches children to recognize danger and be aware of their environment. In addition, she believes that doing simple things, like walking facing traffic and walking with a parent if they’re too young to walk alone, will help keep them safe. She is an advocate for walking to school, but understands the risks. 

"It's all about self-sufficiency," she said. "If [the children] are young or have no self-help skills, they should be chaperoned.  But someone who is in middle school or high school should be able to get to school on their own."

It always "takes a village"

In addition, Zaccone would like to see more community spirit when it comes to walking to school.  It was a lot different in my day, she said. When I was kid, everyone walked to school. We either walked in groups or with neighbors, and if we did something bad our parents already knew about it because everyone knew each other. There was a much more protective attitude.

Shaughnessy agrees with Zaccone, stating that the main reason she got her kids walking to school was because she wanted them to be connected and comfortable in their community. 

"I can't speak on behalf of the BOE, but I wanted to give my children as much freedom as they could responsibly handle at the earliest possible time. I didn't want them to be afraid of the world." 

At the same time, Shaughnessy understands that for many children, walking to school is not an option. Many Bloomfield students live too far away and must go to school via courtesy busing within the 2.5-mile statistic rule.  Other families simply feel more comfortable with their children taking the school bus.  Either way is fine, Shaughnessy says.  It's a personal decision.

In the event that a parent does allow a child to walk to school, Shaughnessy advises children not to take shortcuts or approach a parked car, never to walk behind buildings, but rather to stay in the open where people can see them. In the future, she wants to work with police units to make the community safer and reassure parents. 

"I want to make people more connected with the neighborhood. We aren't there yet, but it is something I would like to do with the Board."

Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 5, many Bloomfield parents will participate in International Walk to School Day by walking to school with their children.