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Edmonds School District

Walk Zones and Walk Routes

 

School Walk Zones/Routes 

Walk Zone boundaries and Walk Route maps

Safety Tips for Walking or Biking to School:

We encourage you to take the time to help your child become familiar with their walk route by walking it together. We encourage you to review these safety concepts and pedestrian laws with your children. Be sure they understand the proper safety concerns. Teach your child to cross the street only at safe and proper locations. Practice good pedestrian behaviors with your child when walking the route together by following these safety rules:

  • Before school begins, walk the routes your children will walk or bike to school to point out potential dangers and safe havens if they need help.

  • Walk on the sidewalks and trails when they are available, or if it is safe and you must walk on the side of the road, walk on the edge, facing traffic where possible, if there is no sidewalk.

  • Do not cross the street without supervision if you’re younger than ten years old. Walk, don’t run, across the street.

  • Cross streets only at marked crosswalks and watch for turning vehicles. Make eye contact with drivers before stepping out and look both ways.

  • Stop at the edges of driveways, alleys, and curbs or edges of the street where no curb exists and look left, right, and left again for vehicles before crossing the street.

  • Teach children to look around parked cars or other objects blocking their view before they cross the street.

  • Encourage your children to be highly visible by wearing bright, light-colored clothing, using reflective tape/materials, and with a flashlight. Be wary of wearing hoods or hats that restrict vision.

  • Since there is safety in numbers, urge your children to walk or bike with a buddy.

  • Make sure your child's bike is safe; check the brakes, reflectors, and chain guard or take it to a bike shop for a check up.

  • Insist that your children wear bike helmets and teach them the bicycle rules of the road. (The Lynnwood Recreation Center offers helmets for only $9)

  • It's not safe to be texting/emailing or to be wearing headphones/earphones. You may be distracted or unable to hear approaching vehicles.

  • Teach your children to be wary of strangers and to report any suspicious contacts to a trusted adult or 911. It's never ok to accept a ride without parent's permission—even from people who they know.

Pedestrian Laws

Stopping for Pedestrians in a crosswalk

Older students should follow all the rules above but should also be old enough to understand these Washington State Pedestrian Laws, and if driving to school, the Driving Laws:

  • Pedestrians must obey traffic-control signals and traffic control devises unless otherwise directed by a traffic or police officer.
  • Pedestrians must use sidewalks when they are available. If sidewalks are not available, pedestrians must walk on the left side of the roadway or its shoulder facing traffic (yes, it is a law).
  • Drivers and bicyclists must yield to pedestrians on sidewalks and in crosswalks (but don't take it for granted that they will -- always be aware).
  • No pedestrian or bicycle shall suddenly leave a curb and move into traffic so that the driver cannot stop.

Driving Laws

All drivers in the family should be mindful of children walking to school and should be aware of the following Washington State laws:

  • Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles.

  • Every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary.

  • Vehicles shall stop at intersections to allow pedestrians and bicycles to cross the road within a marked or unmarked crosswalk. No vehicle should drive through a crosswalk area within one lane from any pedestrian who is crossing. (See graphic)