Starting at age 12 I took the Chicago El home from school most days. I got dropped off in the morning as it was on my dad’s route to work. Around where I live

Starting at age 12 I took the Chicago El home from school most days. I got dropped off in the morning as it was on my dad’s route to work. Around where I live now in the suburbs of another state I see kids walking to the local elementary school that look to be between 8-10. Most walk with their parents and some younger kids with older siblings/friends/neighbors. The main road is busy and people speed but there is a police officer at the main crossing on school mornings directing traffic.