By Dominique Tassell
National Walk Safely to School Day was observed on Friday 20 May, with Warwick Police walking local kids to Warwick Central State School.
Now in its 23rd year, the annual campaign encourages all primary school children, their parents and carers to walk safely and regularly to school.
The event seeks to promote road safety, health, public transport and the environment.
“Kids are our greatest asset and they deserve every protection we can give them while they are growing up,” Queensland Police Services (QPS) stated in a release.
The objectives of National Walk Safely to School Day are:
• To encourage parents and carers to walk regularly with their children, all or part of the way to school
• To promote the message: “Until they are ten, children must always hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road” and other vitally important Road Safety messages
• To promote the health benefits of walking and create regular walking habits
• To help children develop vital road crossing skills which they will not learn inside a car
• To reduce car dependency and traffic congestion, especially around schools
• To reduce the level of air pollution created by motor vehicles
• To promote the use of public transport
