Walking to school not popular with Australian families

AUSTRALIAN adults are passing their reliance on cars to their kids, with most parents saying they won’t let their children walk to school despite believing it to be safe.

Benefits to walking include improved fitness and less environmental impact.

MOST Australian parents think it’s safe for their kids to walk to school, but just a third actually let them.

New figures from the LiveLighter public health campaign reveal Australian adults’ strong reliance on cars as transport — an unhealthy habit they are passing onto their children.

The campaign’s latest survey of 2000 adults, run by the Heart Foundation and Cancer Council Victoria, found that 72 per cent of adults and 64 per cent of children travelled to work or school by car.

WALK TO SCHOOL CAMPAIGN GETS PRIMARY SCHOOL KIDS MOVING

LANDMARK STUDY ON ELDERLY FRAILTY RELEASED

One in four parents said a lack of safe routes or personal safety were what stopped them from letting their children walk or ride.

While more than half of parents say it’s important for kids to walk to school on their own, one in four parents said a lack of safe routes or personal safety were stopping them letting their kid walk or ride.

LiveLighter campaign manager Alison McAleese said she was surprised by the figures that showed how reliant Australians were on cars.

“We know that three out of four Australians aren’t doing enough physical activity, but a really great way people can get activity in through the day is with travel,” Ms McAleese said.

With her youngest child starting prep, this is the first year Zoe Cassar’s two kids can walk together on their own to school.

Ms Cassar led a push to get a crossing supervisor appointed to the major road near her son’s school.

Zoe Cassar led a push to get a crossing supervisor. Pictured left with her children Marion and Adam and another campaigner, Mark Brljak, with Samuel and Noah.

“There are so many benefits to walking, from seeing the kids’ confidence grow, improving their fitness, to having less cars on the road, and it’s good for the environment,” Ms Cassar said.

“There used to be mobs of kids walking to school together when I was at school, and we all looked out for each other. There is safety in numbers.”

Ms McAleese said if driving was unavoidable, parking further to walk part of the way was a good compromise.

[e-mail]