Wednesday, May 7 will mark the third annual “Bike to School Day.” The national event is being coordinated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, and is an extension of the successful International Walk to School Day held each October.

There are nearly 60 different events planned throughout the state for “Bike to School Day,” and increase from nearly 50 events in 2013. The event is to promote the benefits of bicycling to school. In 2001, only 16 percent of kids biked or walked to school as opposed to 42 percent in 1969, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Biking to school provides physical activity to help maintain good health and a healthy weight. “Biking is one part of many solutions,” commented Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists. Numerous studies have also shown that physical activity can help children perform better academically in school as well as have less behavioral issues. An increase in biking to school, as well as walking to school, also decreases motorized traffic congestion in the community.

Although bicycling is a safe activity, all bicyclists should wear helmets and should make sure that they are wearing their helmets correctly. The League of Illinois Bicyclists has produced an online bike safety curriculum, with brief, interactive modules for child bicyclists, adult cyclists and motorists. LIB encourages students and parents to visit www.bikesafetyquiz.com to learn about safety skills and relevant state laws for bicyclists and motorists.