The January 2010 study by the National Center for Safe Routes to School found the following:
- Across all grades, the family car and school bus were the two most frequently used options for travel to/from school. Walking was a distant third. However, there are notable differences between how students in lower grades (K-5th) and higher grades (6th-8th) travel to school.
- The percentage of students traveling to or from school by foot or bicycle peaked in fifth grade at 24%. One reason it may drop off in later grades is that schools are farther from home.
- More students arrive at school in the family car than leave by car in the afternoon. The majority of those afternoon trips shifted to riding the school bus or walking.
- Safety factors, like traffic speed and volume and street crossing safety, were frequently selected as barriers by parents who live within one half mile of school but do not allow their children to walk or bicycle to/from school.
- Weather was only marginally related to students? morning travel mode.
