National Ride2School Day on March 19

The Ride2School Program is designed to make riding, walking, skating and scooting the normal mode of transport for students across Australia.

"Research shows a healthy lifestyle in a child's formative years plays a major role in taking a healthy lifestyle into adulthood" - Victorian Health Minister, David Davis

You can check out the Ride2School Program and find out how your school can get invovled: https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/general/ride2school/

Another great initiative to help reduce the risk of children riding and encourage parents to allow them to ride to school is the Raise Ages/Ride Footpaths campaign which is calling on the State Governments in Victoria, NSW, SA and WA to raise the legal riding age on footpaths to 16.

Raise Ages/Ride Footpaths is supported by dad of two, Le Tour de France Commentator and National Ride2School Day Ambassador Matthew Keenan.

An excerpt from the Bicycle Network website on the Raise Ages/Ride Footpaths campaign:

Mr Keenan said he was very supportive of seeing the age limits raised on footpaths from 11 to 16, especially since his daughter was starting school next year.

"Governments, at all levels, should be looking at ways to encourage people to be active in a safe environment rather than imposing barriers like laws that force a 12-year-old, wishing to ride to school, to ride on the road," Mr Keenan said.

"I want my kids to be able to ride to school on the footpath especially because I feel it's safer for them," he said.

Mr Keenan's views on a safer trip to school were mirrored by those of other parents in a Bicycle Network survey which showed traffic danger was one of the main reasons they don't allow their children to ride to school.

"I'm particularly supportive of allowing kids to ride on the footpath given the stats show only 20% of them walk or ride to school nowadays.

"This compares to 80% in the 1970s," Mr Keenan said.

"I'm really keen to see as many kids as possible encouraged to ride to school not just on National Ride2School Day but every day," he added.