The 6 E’s of Safe Routes

The 6 E's of Safe Routes

EDUCATION activities teach students, parents/guardians, drivers near the school, and neighbors about traffic safety and create awareness of the benefits and goals of SRTS.  Providing students and the community with the knowledge and skills to walk and bicycle safely. Education is often linked to encouragement.

ENCOURAGEMENT strategies generate excitement and interest in walking and bicycling to school.  Safe Routes to School helps your school community organize customizable programs and events that encourage students, parents, teachers, and the local community to try walking and bicycling to school and celebrating and rewarding their efforts. 

ENGAGEMENT with children, parents, school staff, the community, and local law enforcement to support proper walking and bicycling behaviors can foster lifelong participation in physical activity and create positive attitudes and enjoyment among the children and the staff.

EQUITY will ensure that Safe Routes to School initiatives are benefitting all demographic groups with particular attention to ensuring safe, healthy, and fair outcomes for low-income students, students of color, students of all genders, students with disabilities, and others.

ENGINEERING strategies include planning and implementing physical improvements that make it safer and more attractive to walk and bicycle to school.  Assessments, such as walk and bike audits, will help identify physical barriers and opportunities for improvements to sidewalks and intersections. 

EVALUATION helps measure the impact of our efforts. Using various evaluation tools, SRTS staff gather data to better understand existing environmental conditions and current behaviors regarding walking and biking.  Evaluation allows us to track trends over time and can aid in the allocation of resources to improve walking and bicycling near schools.