Get Your Kids on the Path to Safety
Imagine a morning where the school “drop-off” line is a breeze, the air is a little bit cleaner, and your child arrives at school energized and ready to excel. At Safe Routes Utah, we believe that every student in the Beehive State deserves a safe, fun, and healthy journey to and from the classroom. Whether they are walking, biking, or rolling on a scooter, we provide the tools that build confidence in kids and peace of mind for parents.
Our Mission
The mission of Safe Routes Utah is to identify, develop, and promote safe, accessible, and enjoyable routes for every student in Utah to actively travel to and from school. By doing so, we advance student physical and mental health, improve concentration and academic readiness, reduce local traffic congestion, and enhance neighborhood livability.
Choosing to "walk and roll" isn't just about getting from point A to point B, it’s about the incredible benefits that start the moment a child steps out the front door:
Boost Brain Power
Active students arrive at school awake, alert, and more prepared for academic success.
Cleaner Air for Kids
Fewer cars idling in the school zone means a healthier environment for everyone.
Confidence & Independence
Navigating a safe route helps children develop critical life skills and a sense of accomplishment.
Win Big with the Walk & Roll Challenge
Our flagship program rewards students for their effort! By tracking their active days, students can win high-quality bikes, scooters, and helmets every month.
Tools to Get You Moving
For Parents
Interactive Maps: Find the safest path to your school with a single click.
Walk & Roll Tracker: Download fun progress charts to keep your kids motivated.
For Schools
Safety Grants: Access funding for new sidewalks, bike racks, and safety education.
Beat the Street Assemblies: Everything you need to host high-energy safety events.
For Partners
Community Impact: Help us reduce traffic congestion and improve local infrastructure.
Data Sharing: Collaborate on planning to make your city’s streets safer for all.
Ready to start your journey?
About Safe Routes Utah
The mission of Safe Routes Utah is to identify, develop, and promote safe, accessible, and enjoyable routes for every student in Utah to actively travel to and from school. By doing so, we advance student physical and mental health, improve concentration and academic readiness, reduce local traffic congestion, and enhance neighborhood livability.
The Safe Routes Utah Program is administered through the Utah Department of Transportation’s Traffic and Safety Division. The main goal of the program is to assist communities and encourage students to safely walk or bike to school. The following sections will outline the legal and statutory basis and requirements of the Safe Routes Utah program, identify responsible parties for each requirement, evaluate the existing process to identify shortcomings, and recommend improvements.
Key Programs & Activities
Safe Routes Safety and Planning Tools
Utah law requires every K-8 school to submit a Safe Routes Utah plan and map. This online portal allows schools to login to their school site, identify all existing traffic control and hazards or areas of concern, and the safest routes each area can use to reach the school. The portal also allows administrators to create a narrative plan that outlines the safest routes, hazards to be aware of, and other pertinent information, as well as recommendations for future improvements. After the school administrator uploads and submits the map and plan, a representative from the school district will approve the plan. It is then uploaded to the UDOT site, where parents and members of the public can see the identified school routes for each school. Each year, public schools are required to update their map and plan and have it reapproved.
Beat the Street Assemblies
The Safe Routes Utah Beat the Street assembly is a free, 30-minute program about walking and biking to school safely. It is available statewide with two separate formats, one for grades 1-3, and one for grades 4-6. This dynamic, educational presentation teaches students about the importance of traffic signs, signal lights, proper behavior when crossing the road, and helmet use. Every student who attends receives a workbook, pencil, and reflective Safe Routes Utah branded bracelet. The assembly can be requested by schools on the Safe Routes Utah website. Assemblies and all accompanying materials are available in both English and Spanish.
Construction Safety Assemblies
Safe Routes Utah provides an assembly for schools that are located near a construction zone. In this fun and interactive assembly, students are taught how to be safe around construction using a relay race format. The content reinforces the importance of all motorists, residents, businesses and students behaving safely in construction zones.
Walk and Roll Challenge
Runs from September through May each year and incentivizes students to choose active transportation. Students track each day they walk, bike, or "roll" (scooter, skateboard, etc.) to school. Walking to a bus stop also counts. For students who are homeschooled or learning online, being active outside for 20 minutes counts as a "trip." At the end of each month, students submit their progress online to be entered into a drawing. Prizes include high-quality scooters, bikes, and helmets. Parents who help their children participate are also eligible for separate prize drawings.
Support for National Walk / Bike to School Days
Each May the Safe Routes Utah program supports Walk to School Day and Bike to School Day at our local schools. The program provides traditional and social media support as well as materials to schools encouraging special prizes, or incentives for students to participate. The program also uses this time of year to remind students about safe behaviors and proper walking and biking safety.
Middle School Pedestrian Safety Health Curriculum
Safe Routes Utah has developed a curriculum based on Utah Board of Education Standards for middle school health. This lesson plan offers students the opportunity to discuss and learn about pedestrian safety and enjoy hands-on activities emphasizing staying safe on the roads. The materials are designed to be a resource that is flexible and can be modified to class time or the needs of the students. While some of the content will be a reminder for many students, it also emphasizes keeping younger siblings and friends safe.
Eyes Up, Kids Ahead: Don’t Drive Distracted
It’s Monday morning, and the neighborhood is a blur of yellow buses, oversized backpacks, and the sounds of energetic youngsters heading to school. For a
The Bright Side: Your Guide to Seeing and Being Seen
Stepping out for the morning trip to school, whether on two wheels or two feet, is a great way to build independence, but it requires a “safety-first” mindset to navigate the unpredictability of traffic.
The Car Line vs. The “Walking School Bus”
For a number of reasons parents often feel safer driving their kids to school rather than letting them walk or bike. This creates quite a paradox: to keep our kids safe from the traffic around their school, we feel compelled to drive them. However, the danger of the school zone is the sheer volume of cars driving on the streets around our schools.
Walking in the Winter has Surprising Benefits
When winter arrives in Utah, it’s easy to default to driving your kids to school. The frosty air, icy sidewalks, and snow make the car seem like the coziest option. However, encouraging your child to walk to school, even in the cold, can have surprising benefits. Bundling up and taking a walk outside can boost their physical and mental health, build resilience, and teach safety skills.
3 Ways Walking and Biking Together Improves Your Relationship with Your Child
Finding quality time to connect with your children can feel challenging in today’s fast-paced world. But there are simple and meaningful ways to nurture these connections, and one is as easy as heading outside for a walk or bike ride together.
Review These Pedestrian Basics for Halloween
Halloween is one of the most exciting nights of the year for kids, filled with costumes, candy, and adventure with friends. However, with all the fun comes an important responsibility: staying safe. Here are some essential tips to keep your kids safe while trick-or-treating.