RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) - Elementary and middle school students throughout Riverside County will forgo riding to school one day next week and instead take a stroll or roll in recognition of "National Walk & Roll to School Day" -- part of an effort to promote youth exercise and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. Youths from more than a dozen schools countywide are expected to take part in the annual event, set for Oct. 8, during which parents, teachers and community-based volunteers form ``walking school buses'' to shepherd children to their campuses, according to organizers. "National Walk & Roll to School Day is a great opportunity to highlight pedestrian safety and advocate for safer routes for walking and biking to school,'' Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. "This day underscores the importance of boosting physical activity and prioritizes the safety of families in our community." Organizers said walking programs promote a reduction in childhood obesity and stress the importance of pedestrian access and safety on traffic corridors.