Contact: Esther Bowring, 240-777-6530
For Immediate Release: October 2, 2001

County Celebrates ‘Walk Our Children To School Day’ --
Receives State Grants to Improve Pedestrian Safety;
NHTSA Administrator Releases National Strategy
for Advancing Child Pedestrian Safety

During a local celebration of national ‘Walk Our Children to School Day’ at Rolling Terrace Elementary School, Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today announced that the County is the recipient of three State grants to improve pedestrian safety. In addition, Administrator Dr. Jeffrey W. Runge, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a new joint NHTSA/Center for Disease Control report that lays out a national strategy for advancing child pedestrian safety.

Duncan announced that Rolling Terrace Elementary School was selected as one of two pilot “Safe Routes to School” locations under a new law passed in May. HB 717 provides grants from the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to local governments to boost child pedestrian safety through education and enforcement campaigns. Duncan also announced that the County received two State Highway Administration grants totaling $90,000 to expand County pedestrian safety education and enforcement activities.

“Making sure kids are safe is one of our highest priorities,” said Duncan. “Reducing the number of pedestrian accidents and fatalities in the County is going to require persistence and aggressive action. We are grateful to the State of Maryland for its support of pedestrian safety initiatives in Montgomery County, which we hope will make a real difference in making our streets safer for everyone.”

A broad-based group of education, law enforcement, health and safety specialists from Montgomery County selected Rolling Terrace Elementary School based on criteria developed by the Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council. The group looked for a K-5 school with a diverse ethnic and minority population, an interested principal, active PTA, many students who live within walking distance, and known pedestrian access and safety challenges. MDOT will analyze pedestrian safety and access at Rolling Terrace, determine remedies to resolve shortcomings, and ultimately come up with ‘lessons learned’ that can be shared with other schools to encourage “Safe Routes to Schools” statewide.

“Our new law is a big step forward for pedestrian safety in Maryland,” said State Delegate Bill Bronrott (D-District 16, Bethesda), chair of the Montgomery County Blue Ribbon Panel on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety and a chief sponsor of the Maryland Pedestrian Safety Program law (HB 717). “Greater education and enforcement are two of the keys to creating the kind of safe and walkable communities that children and families deserve. My hope is that this program will be a call to action throughout our state because crosswalks and sidewalks should be safety zones that protect pedestrians of all ages.”

Duncan also thanked MDOT for the recent award of two pedestrian safety grants. The Montgomery County Police will use $40,000 for stepped up pedestrian and traffic safety enforcement actions. The remaining $50,000 will be used to expand pedestrian safety education and outreach.

“Maryland is proud to play an active role in developing safe routes for children to walk to school,” said Maryland Secretary of Transportation John D. Porcari. “Children should not have to worry about safety conditions when they walk to school. These funds will hopefully go a long way toward various improvements, such as repairing cracked or weathered sidewalks, and adding more road signs that remind drivers to be alert for children that may be walking near-by.”

Runge released a new report, “National Strategies for Advancing Child Pedestrian Safety,” that outlines six strategies to achieve the goal of enhancing the well-being and safety of children by increasing public awareness, modifying behavior and attitudes of drivers and pedestrians, modifying the physical environment, conducting effective safe-walking programs, conducting research, and evaluating risk factors for injury.

“As an emergency physician, Walk to School Day gives me a wonderful opportunity to show my support for increasing walkability and pedestrian safety awareness among families, educators and community leaders across the country,” said Runge. “This event also gives me a chance to unveil the new “National Strategies for Advancing Child Pedestrian Safety.” This innovative plan, which was created by NHTSA and the Centers for Disease Control, will serve to enhance the well-being and safety of children by reducing their risk of injury while walking, increasing their physical activity level, and creating a more pedestrian friendly-environment.”

This year’s Walk Our Children to School Day encourages parents to teach children about pedestrian safety and make them aware of the difficulties and dangers children face on their trip to and from school each day. The event also promotes health, physical activity and concern for the environment.

“As our Montgomery County communities become more crowded, and our drivers become more aggressive, the simple act of walking to school can become hazardous to our children,” said Montgomery County Police Chief Dr. Charles A. Moose. “Keeping our kids safe is obviously a top priority. Last year, children ages 5 to 15 made up 17 percent of all pedestrian injuries in the County. This year with new grant funding we'll be making increased efforts to help our County children have a safer trip to their schools.”

Starting at the Foxhall Apartments in Silver Spring, about 350 parents and students walked three blocks to Rolling Terrace Elementary School, carrying signs with safety messages. The County provided the kids with florescent slap bracelets, lights that attach to jacket or backpack zippers, and other giveaways. Fed Ex partnered with National Safe Kids and the 3M Corporation to support this year’s walk by sending 10 employees who walked with the kids as “safety partners.” The sponsors also donated six safety signs, 25 t-shirts, 10 backpacks, five fleece jackets, and 500 walkability surveys.

County participation in the national walk event significantly expanded this year. About 40 County schools conducted ‘Walks,’ including East Silver Spring Elementary School, Rosemary Hills Elementary School, Rock Creek Valley Elementary School, Rock View Elementary School, Kensington Parkwood Elementary School, North Chevy Chase Elementary School, Chevy Chase Elementary School, Brooke Grove Elementary School, Highland View Elementary School, Rock Creek Forest Elementary School, Somerset Elementary School, Westbrook Elementary School, South Lake Elementary School, Takoma Park Elementary School, Westland Middle School, and Matsanuga Elementary School.

Joining the walk at Rolling Terrace Elementary School were State Senator Brian E. Frosh (D-Dist 16); Del. Sheila Ellis Hixson (D-Dist 20); Del. Peter Franchot (D-Dist 20); Senior Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Education Judge Eric Andell; School Board President Nancy King; Montgomery County Police Chief Dr. Charles A. Moose; Montgomery County Fire Administrator Gordon Aoyagi; Rolling Terrace Elementary School Principal Dr. Robin Mathias; Captain of the Rolling Terrace Elementary School Safety Patrols, 5th Grader Cynthia Monroy; and One Less Car Inc. Executive Director Bob Chauncey.

The Partnership for a Walkable America held the first United States walk in 1997 in Chicago when Mayor Daley led local officials and school children on a walk to a local school. Since then, the event has spread nationally and internationally. In 1999, Ireland joined the walk, along with 44 schools from New Zealand, 10,000 schools from Great Britain, 250 schools from Canada and 525 schools from the United States.

Information about the walk to school movement can be found at www.walktoschool.org.