Walk-Shy Families Fuel Traffic Jams and Lardy Kids

WEYBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM – May 19, 2009: More than three-quarters of British kids, 78%, live within two miles of their school, yet a staggering 63% of them are driven to and from the school gates every day, either in a car or bus, according to fresh research released today.

The Kia Motors Walk to School Report reveals a nation of walk-shy families who are responsible for 5.5 million unnecessary daily road journeys to drop the kids at school.

While the majority of UK families live less than a mile from their child’s school, 15% refuse to cover the distance on foot

Over one in five, 22%, of parents admit driving their kids to school for personal convenience and 13% claim they have “no alternative”

A further 28% of non-walkers are worried by media stories of children going missing

More then one in ten , 13%, parents claim their children are driven to school because walking is too tiring, relying instead on school games to provide physical activity

Despite more than half , 57%, of British parents saying they would prefer their children to walk to school, they cite safety concerns as the chief barrier to doing so

48% of parents claiming the roads are dangerous and that the streets surrounding their child’s school are too congested

Kia Motors publishes today’s research to coincide with Walk to School Week 2009, an initiative designed to encourage more children to ditch unnecessary car journeys and travel to school on foot.

Sue Mulcaster, spokesperson for Kia Motors UK said:

“Walking short journeys rather than taking the car carries health benefits for us and the environment. Reducing emissions and road traffic makes walking a healthier and safer activity.”

“Over 20% of all traffic in the mornings is generated by the school run; the roads are very busy and parental concerns for their children’s safety are understandable. Yet the simple solution is being over looked. Only 38% of parents say their child’s school actively encourage walking to school, and just 1.5% of all parents are taking it upon themselves to organise a walking rota with other parents. With a properly set up Walking Bus, there's no safer or fun way to get to and from school. It benefits everyone, clears up the streets and puts the fun back into driving.”

FACTS + FIGURES

Across the UK, kids in Wales walk the least, with almost half , 47%, being driven to school

Families from the Midlands and Eastern England are the most dedicated walkers; 62% of kids set out on foot each morning

In a country where one in ten school children is obese, walking just one mile a day would burn 100 calories, equating to 19,500 calories across the school year

Cars consume most fuel and pollute more at the start of their journey when the engine is cold, therefore, covering short journeys on foot disproportionately reduces carbon emissions

Over the academic year, a single car journeying a three-mile round trip will produce 234 kg of carbon emissions