Just a few generations
ago, in the 50s and ’60s, half of all children bicycled or walked to school. Today,
only one in 10 does so.
In fact, even among
school-age children who live within two miles of school, only about two percent
ride bicycles to get there.
These figures have
implications for health, fitness, and safety.
The Santa Barbara
Bicycle Coalition cites several major reasons for the decline:
• As we widened roads
for cars, we decreased safety for bikers and walkers, leading to a lack of space
for children to walk and bike safely.
• Excessive media
stories about the dangers of child abductions, gun violence, drugs, and often other
real-but-overblown-concerns add to a sense of danger and worry for parents.
The truth is that
automobiles are by far a bigger threat to children than all these other
potential threats combined.
• With both parents
working, for longer hours, many try to compensate through the perceived ‘gift’
of driving children around.
These changes have
contributed to increased rates of obesity among young people.
They have also helped
foster a loss of independence that comes from bicycling.
As was the case with
recycling and smoking, it will take changes of awareness and attitude to change
this condition. We should all try to help.
