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Mayor Urges Importance of Exercise, Traffic Reduction Near Schools

Woodbridge Township Mayor Frank G. Pelzman will participate in International Walk Our Children to School Day , on Wednesday morning, October 6. The Mayor will join parents and children as they walk to Avenel School #4/5 at 230 Avenel Street in Avenel.

International Walk Our Children to School Day was established in 1997 by the Partnership for a Walkable America to encourage adults to teach children about pedestrian safety and to become aware of the obstacles children may face in their daily walk to school. Since then, more than 4 million walkers around the globe have participated.

“I urge parents to, if possible, take the time to walk their children to school, not only on Wednesday, but as often as possible,” said Mayor Pelzman. “Walking children to school is not only good exercise for parents and children, but it's also safer, reduces auto traffic around the schools and leads to greater parent/child interaction.”

Safety experts emphasize how much safer it is for parents to accompany their children to school, noting that 25,000 pedestrian children are injured by motor vehicles every year. Pedestrian accidents are the second leading cause of accidental injury-related deaths among children ages 5 to 14. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services points to the health benefits of walking, noting that the number of overweight children has doubled in the past two decades, due mainly to inactivity. Obesity leads to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other serious health problems.

International Walk Our Children to School Day is being coordinated locally by Keep Middlesex Moving (KMM). KMM has hosted International Walk Our Children to School for the past seven years. In 2003, KMM helped organized successful walks in 13 towns in Middlesex County, with well over 10,000 children and adults participating.