The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) encourages students to bike to school on Wednesday, May 6, which has been declared National Bike to School Day.

“Dozens of Wisconsin schools are organizing events to promote biking as a healthy mode of transportation,” said Tanya Iverson, multimodal program coordinator at WisDOT. “These events encourage bicycling as not only a fun recreational activity, but also a practical way to get from one place to another, in this case, from home to school.”

National Bike to School Day also puts bike safety in the spotlight. In Wisconsin, five through 14-year-olds make up approximately 15 percent of the total population; however, the age group accounts for more than 30 percent of all bicycle-related injuries each year.

“It is worth noting that WisDOT has a safety web site designed just for kids,” Iverson added. “The site includes a section on bicycling, and we encourage kids and their parents to check it out.”

This marks the fourth year of National Bike to School Day, which is sponsored by the National Center for Safe Routes to School. It encourages children in grades K-8 to walk and bike to school by creating safer walking and biking routes. Its programs improve walking and biking travel options, promote healthier lifestyles in children and decrease auto-related emissions near schools.

More information on National Bike to School Day can be found at http://walkbiketoschool.org/.