Back-to-school tips from AAA: At what age can kids walk to school safely?

 by AAA Colorado

It’s that time again: Over the next couple of weeks, most Colorado school districts will be kicking off the new year. And with many warm summer and fall days ahead of us, walking to school stands as an active, healthy alternative to commuting for many families. But how do you decide if your child is old enough to walk to school or the bus stop on their own? There’s no federal or Colorado law setting a legal age minimum before children can walk alone. Your child’s school or school district may have their own policies on the matter, so check in there first.

If there aren’t rules on the books, it’s up to parents to decide the right time for their student to begin walking to school. AAA Colorado recommends that you consider your child’s age, abilities, and general traffic patterns on the routes to and from your child’s destination. As a general rule, children under the age of 9 or 10 do not have the skills to walk alone in areas with traffic.

“Walking to and from school or the bus stop is an important rite of passage for Colorado kids,” said AAA Spokesman Skyler McKinley. “Parents weighing whether their child is old enough to walk alone should consider three important factors: The length of the walk, the environments they’ll be walking through—including traffic patterns, crosswalks, and neighborhood safety—and their child’s ability to responsibly handle unexpected situations.”

AAA Colorado offers these five ways parents can ensure a safe commute:

• Walk with children many times to familiarize them with the route. This creates an opportunity to point out potential traffic hazards and situations to avoid.
• Have children walk in a group. With more eyes and ears, they can cross streets together and negotiate dangerous situations more safely. Having an adult walk with the group can make the trip even safer.
• Talk with children about traffic safety and teach them when and where it is safest to cross streets. Always use crosswalks yourself in order to model safe behavior.
• Emphasize the importance of visually scanning dangerous areas, such as driveways and parking lots.
• Remind children to take their time, to stop, and to look both ways and listen when crossing streets – even when there is a well-marked crosswalk.

As congestion increases in school zones during the coming days, all drivers are reminded to slow down and to obey posted school-zone speed limits—and, most important, to minimize distractions. Use extra caution when children are present since children are less focused on and experienced with basic traffic safety.

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