Quad Cities Safe Kids And FedEx Urge Students To “Walk This Way”

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Quad Cities Safe Kids and FedEx will be delivering the message “Walk This Way” to the students of Garfield Elementary School in Davenport on Oct. 8th.

In observance of International Walk to School Day, Quad Cities Safe Kids and FedEx will bring together parents, students and volunteers to look for hazards, such as absence of crossing guards, potentially dangerous sidewalks, overgrown trees that may block the view of drivers, and other impediments to safe travel.

The students at Garfield School will be encouraged to walk to school on Oct. 8th.  There will be a parade around the school after attendance has been taken at approximately 8:30 a.m. and there will be a news conference at 8:45 a.m. to highlight participation of students and volunteers.  Garfield School is located at 902 E. 29th St., Davenport.

Safe Kids Worldwide and program sponsor FedEx Express developed Safe Kids Walk This Way in 2000 to bring national and local attention to pedestrian safety issues.  Pedestrian injury is the second-leading cause of  injury-related death among children ages 5 to 14 in the United States.

Each student at Garfield Elementary School will receive a “Walk This Way” tee shirt that they will be asked to wear to school.  Staff will also receive tee shirts.

 “Walking to school is an important and healthy activity but everyone needs to do their part to keep this activity safe for kids,'' said Keene Hart, Safe Kids Quad Cities coordinator.  "Parents and caregivers need to teach children safe behaviors and drivers must be aware and on the lookout for children on or near the road.

“The Safe Kids goal is to make parents and the community more aware of the hazards children face, and to work together to fix these problems so that children can walk to school or anywhere in their neighborhood safely.’’

The pedestrian injury death rate among children ages 14 and under has declined, but each year, more than 600 children ages 14 and under die nationwide from pedestrian-related injuries.  More than 30,000 children are treated for pedestrian-related injuries each year in the United States.

This is the ninth year that Quad Cities Safe Kids and the local FedEx offices have teamed up in support of “Walk This Way.”  Genesis Medical Center, Illini Campus, is the lead agency supporting Quad Cities Safe Kids.

If you would like more information about Safe Kids Quad Cities, call (309) 792-4890 or go to www.usa.safekids.org/wtw 

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