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Oh dear! There really are no easy answers, are there? As everyone knows, speed kills. So walking should be the safest way to get around with bikes a little less safe (because you can go fast down hills). But both biking (do wear a 'hard hat' to protect your head) and walking are very safe provided you don't have to mix with cars and trucks. Unfortunately, almost all modern transport systems are built around fast, heavy motor vehicles which, so far as walkers and bikers are concerned are very dangerous. If a metal car weighing a couple of tons hits a walker at speed, the car gets a dent but the poor walker gets killed. To make matters worse, there's now a fashion to fit huge 'bull-bar' fenders to SUVs and pickups. These chunks of steel - 'car jewellery' really - make the chances of killing someone on foot or bike much greater even at low speed. They also make the vehicles that have them even more gas-guzzling than before. And when did you last see a bull in a city street?

I'm glad to say the message that motor vehicles and walkers or bikers don't mix is getting through. In some countries like Holland and Denmark, cycles now have special routes of their own in towns. More and more cycle paths are being made everywhere because sensible people are making sure that this happens.

You and your friends, together with your parents and their friends, can help make sure safe places and routes get built so that kids like you can walk or cycle safely to school or meet your friends. And maybe you can get your street made into a play-zone where cars are not allowed or where there are strict very low speed limits. Then you could get out and do some skateboarding with your friends instead of being always stuck inside with the boring old TV! Pester power could work wonders if enough of you get together to change things. Go on... start a campaign: we want SAFE PLACES FOR KIDS TO HAVE FUN!