Increasing the number of children walking to school has potential benefits for students, families, and communities. However, increasing child pedestrian activity could increase the risk of injuries. A walking school bus (WSB) addresses safety concerns by providing a period of physical activity supervised by responsible adults on the way to and from school. The purpose of this project is to assess the impact of a WSB program policy on children's safety, physical activity, and health in a population of 4th grade students in Houston, TX. Data will be collected using student and parent surveys, environmental observation checklists, and objective measures of physical activity via accelerometers. Participation levels in the WSB process will also be tracked. Statistical analysis will be used to determine how successful the walking school bus program is on physical activity of students and their safety.Learn more about Jason Mendoza, M.D., M.P.H. and his ALR project by reading his RWJF Grantee Profile.
