School students across Australia will pedal to school on Friday, March 23, to promote a healthy start to the day.
Over 140,000 students will partake in the annual Ride2School day, which encourages riding, scooting, skating and walking to over 1000 schools.
Ride2School Program Manager, Kelly Pearson said: “National Ride2School Day is a really important day in the calendar as it gives schools a good reason to encourage students and the broader school community to travel to school in an active manor.”
“Children who travel to school by walking, riding, scootering or some other active method are more alert when they arrive at school and therefore better prepared to commence learning.”
Health Authorities have said children need an average 60 minutes of physical activity daily to maintain health and wellbeing.
“Children who develop a healthy, active lifestyle when they are young are much more likely to maintain those habits in adulthood,” she said.
Ms Pearson believes the day sheds a positive light on bike riding.
“The presence of bikes on our roads is obviously under scrutiny and topical at the moment,” she said.
“We are helping to raise awareness and educate the riders and drivers of the future that is important to be more considerate of the need to share our roads.”
The number of students riding to school has dropped to 20 percent, from 80 percent during the 1970s.
One in four Australian children is overweight or obese, with only 32 percent of Australian students meeting the minimum physical activity guideline.
“Ride2School also contributes to these daily exercise needs,” Ms Pearson said. “We’re tackling diabetes and obesity through these initiatives.”
By Georgia Fullerton
