I hope that car drivers see these kids on the road often enough that they automatically put down their phones in these school zones and obey the 3-foot-passing law so that police escorts are no longer necessary.

My grandsons, and my daughter, and I have consistently ridden our bikes both to Lower and Upper Laurel for 5 years, and we all live to tell the story. No near misses, no accidents, no injuries. Feeling safe is a perception, and an understanding of how to be a careful cyclist.

I can't help thinking that if, every day, there were large numbers of kids riding their bikes to school, motorists would pay more attention and drive more carefully.

Palo Alto claims that 40% of their elementary school students walk or bike to school. Why are Menlo Park streets so dangerous that police escorts are necessary?

Just get your kids out there riding on their own and stop being a worry wart! Police and patent escorts?!? Never had that crap when I was a kid. That sends the wrong message and reinforces the backwards belief that biking is dangerous. It isn't. Biking is quite safe after a few simple kid road rules lessons.