A parade of students walking, riding bikes and scooters and even roller skating made their way to Cunningham Elementary School on Wednesday morning as part of a Walk and Roll to School event. Helping the students arrive to school was Safe Kids Stanislaus County, a group of community members, health service agencies and police and fire departments who want to prevent unintentional injuries to children.

“We choose different schools around Stanislaus County to sponsor for these events,” said Safe Kids Stanislaus coordinator Rena Bryant, who is a registered nurse at Doctor’s Medical Center.

“All of the first responders met the students, parents, teachers and caregivers at two meeting sites and they got a little safety brief of how to get safely to school, walking or riding their bikes or whatever wheeled sports they have…”

Once the students arrived safely to school, they were greeted with a party atmosphere and mascots giving out reflectors and stickers. California Highway Patrol and American Medical Response personnel talked with the students before they attended a safety presentation for pedestrians, bicyclists and other riding sports.

These annual walk and ride events are important reminders for children on how to navigate roadways safely, according to Bryant.

“Unfortunately, at both of our trauma hospitals, we have a very high per capita rate of auto versus pedestrian and auto versus bicycle crashes that are causing traumas so this is our way of trying to educate the community, starting very young, of safe roadway practices so that these traumas are prevented,” she said.