Safety walk on Wednesday

Grand Forks Mayor Mike Brown, UND nursing students and others will walk with students to several Grand Forks public schools on Wednesday morning to advocate for safer walking environments for children.

During the International Walk to School Day, volunteers will identify unsafe intersections and streets that need sidewalks. The event is sponsored by Safe Kids Grand Forks.

For the 13th consecutive year, Safe Kids coalitions are teaming with hundreds of FedEx volunteers to teach children how to be safe pedestrians and raise awareness of pedestrian dangers, said Carma Hanson, coordinator of Safe Kids Grand Forks in a news release.

Ben Franklin, Century, Kelly, Lewis & Clark, West and Winship elementary schools are participating in the event. At each school, student council members will carry large signs with safety messages directed at pedestrians and drivers.

Hanson encourages drivers to:

• Be aware of arrival (7:30 to 8:15 a.m.) and dismissal (3 to 4 p.m.) times at elementary schools; take alternative routes during those times.

• Be aware that most elementary students don’t have the cognitive skills to safely cross the street.

• Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

• Follow posted school speed limit signs.

• Follow directions of crossing guards.

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