The department paired that encouragement with a message for drivers. With increased foot and bike traffic expected Wednesday, motorists should be prepared to stop for school buses and for children crossing the street, and should slow down in school zones, police said, adding that the need to stay alert applies every day, not only on the observance.
“This annual event is a reminder that students biking and walking to school safely is a shared commitment,” Pasadena Police Lt. Mathew Campeau said.
“It also reinforces the need for drivers to slow down, stay alert and look out for children using crosswalks, sidewalks and bike lanes to get to school,” he said. “Every safe choice helps protect students who rely on these routes every day.”
The department offered these tips for students who walk, bike or roll to school:
• Plan a route on roads with sidewalks or paths away from heavy vehicle traffic. Where there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic, as far to the left as possible.
• Bicyclists should always ride on the right side of the road, in the same direction as vehicles.
• Always wear a properly fitted helmet when riding or rolling.
• Use crosswalks at stop signs or signals. Where crosswalks are unmarked, cross at street corners.
• Always look left, right and left again before crossing the street.
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them, and never assume a driver sees a pedestrian.
• Be visible: wear bright clothing during the day, and wear reflective materials or use a flashlight when it is dark.
• Stay alert and avoid electronic devices that take eyes and ears off the road.
The first national observance, then called Walk Our Children to School Day, was held in 1997, according to the national Walk, Bike & Roll to School program, which now promotes the October event as Walk & Roll to School Day. As of Monday, the program listed 997 events registered nationwide for this year’s October observance.
A 2019 city staff report said the city had been awarded $780,000 in state Active Transportation Program grant funds for a Safe Routes to School education and encouragement program for Pasadena Unified School District students at six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school, scheduled to run through February 2022.
The Pasadena Police Department said funding for its Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day program came from a California Office of Traffic Safety grant, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The department has historically applied for and received annual Office of Traffic Safety funding, which supports operations including pedestrian right-of-way enforcement and bicycle safety, according to a September 2025 city staff report.
The department encouraged schools to register at walkbiketoschool.org as a way to track participation and show support for active, healthy and safe transportation. Many schools celebrate throughout October, according to the national program.
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