A new statewide effort is helping Minnesota students safely navigate their communities on foot and by bike.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has launched its “On My Way! Walk, Bike and Roll Safety Education” campaign, introducing a website with classroom-ready resources designed to teach pedestrian and bicycle safety. The initiative supports a 2023 state law requiring schools to provide age-appropriate safety instruction.
MnDOT officials say the program is modeled after longstanding school bus safety training and focuses on building foundational skills for students at an early age.
“Learning how to safely walk, bike and navigate your neighborhood are lifelong, core skills,” said MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger. “People aren’t born knowing how to do them. Our new educational materials can help schools teach these important lessons in an age- and grade-level appropriate way.”
The On My Way! program includes flexible teaching tools such as videos, lesson plans, worksheets and activities that can be used in a variety of classroom settings or at home. Materials are tailored by grade level, with younger students focusing on safe walking skills and older students expanding into bicycle safety.
The campaign builds on MnDOT’s previous Walk! Bike! Fun! curriculum but is designed as a shorter, more accessible option that can be used beyond physical education classes.
“We want school districts to tailor their safety curriculum to their needs,” said Will Wlizlo. “On My Way! can be done by classroom teachers, health and wellness teachers, principals, or bus drivers, depending on what the district needs. We wanted to make it incredibly easy for a teacher or school staff member, who has maybe never taught pedestrian and bike safety topics before, to be able to confidently talk to students about it.”
MnDOT says the curriculum was shaped by feedback from educators and students, with an emphasis on a conversational tone and flexible use in schools.
“Mobility is a big part of the human experience, and we’re excited that MnDOT has created something that will be easy to use, out of the box,” Wlizlo said. “It’s ready to go, just like the students who will be learning these important lessons.”
