WHEREAS, On October 6, 1999, California held its first statewide Walk a Child to School Day and thousands of students, parents, and school officials walked to school; and

WHEREAS, The event provided all those involved an opportunity to promote a healthier lifestyle, safer streets, stronger communities, and cleaner air; and

WHEREAS, The goals of this event are to motivate adults to leave their cars at home whenever possible, encourage children and parents to spend quality time together, as well as teaching children proper pedestrian behavior and street crossing; and

WHEREAS, An organized event highlighting walking to school, may also call attention to those areas of the community that are inaccessible to pedestrian or bicycle traffic, in need of repair, or dangerous to the point that measures must be taken to assure the safety of children traveling those roads or walkways; and

WHEREAS, The California Highway Patrol reported over 15,000 pedestrians injured or killed in 1998; and

WHEREAS, Currently nine countries: the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Cyprus, and Gibraltar are participating in this annual event; and

WHEREAS, California, having one of the highest automobile to person ratios, in addition to rapidly becoming one of the most congested states in the nation, should take the lead in promoting pedestrian safety, cleaner air standards, and encourage the citizens of California to participate in this important event and take one day of their busy lives to walk a child to school; now, therefore, be it