Children in over 60 Tampa Bay area schools participated in International Walk to School Day on Oct.5. This annual event is designed to raise awareness about pedestrian safety. Bicycle and pedestrian injury remains the second leading cause of accidental injury-related death among children ages 5 to 14.
The event was sponsored by FedEx and organized by members of the Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition led by All Children's Hospital and Safe Routes to School. Organizations assisting with the event included: law enforcement, fire rescue, PTA's, city, county and school board representatives, teachers and parents.
Safe Kids Worldwide and program sponsor FedEx created the Safe Kids Walk This Way Program to teach safe behaviors to motorists and child pedestrians and create safer, more walkable communities. This year marks the twelfth anniversary of the program with 189 Safe Kids coalitions and 400 schools across the country holding more than 1,000 local events at elementary schools to teach children how to walk safely and recognize pedestrian dangers.
