Thursday's theme for National Public Health Week is Protecting You While You're On The Move, because public health never stays in just one place. It stays with you while you're on the move, keeping you safe no matter your mode of transportation. Public health — one could say — is the perfect traveling companion.
In fact, the simple act of using a seat belt may be one of the most recognizable public health victories: From 1981 to 2010, seat belt use rose from 11 percent to about 85 percent, saving hundreds of thousands of lives. Nowadays, it just seems strange to see someone not buckle up. But the job's not done. Drivers, passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists still face preventable dangers on the road. Plus, a new national movement is quickly gaining momentum to design our communities with safe walking, biking and physical activity opportunities in mind. Let's move forward together. Learn more about staying healthy and safe while on the move at http://www.nphw.org/tools-and-tips/themes/protecting-you-while-youre-on-the-move.