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Crossing Guard Safety Helpful tips for protecting yourself and children

As a school crossing guard, you play an When a crosswalk does not have signals, important role in the lives of children who it is your responsibility to determine when walk and bicycle to school. Your help children cross based on gaps in . reassures parents and reminds drivers to Follow these guidelines: yield to . What’s more, you • Stand near the curb on the side from serve as an important role model for the which children are approaching. children you protect. Follow these safety • Stop children a safe distance from procedures to be sure you are taking the curb. Instruct them to wait for every measure to keep children – and your signal. yourself – safe at the crosswalk. • Instruct children on bicycles, scooters or skateboards to dismount Search Pattern and cross as a . Use the following search pattern for • Wait for a gap in traffic. crossing a street and encourage • Face the closest oncoming vehicle pedestrians to follow the same steps. and make eye contact with driver. 1. Stop at the curb. • Walk to the center of the street with Teach them Safety 2. Look left, right, then left again for the “stop” paddle held high. If there traffic. are more than two lanes, alert Instill good street-crossing 3. If you are at an intersection, look additional lanes one at a time. over your shoulder for vehicles habits in children for their • Face opposite approaching traffic turning. and make eye contact. continued safety. Always 4. Walk across the street at a • Stand at the center of the street and consistent pace and continue to practice extreme caution, ensure all traffic has stopped. scan while crossing. and discourage children Face the children, and instruct them • to cross and look left-right-left while from behaving unsafely Signaling Traffic proceeding across the marked The best way to alert traffic to activity at near traffic. Apply the crosswalk. school crossings is a “stop” paddle. same standards you do for Remain in the street until all However, many jurisdictions also allow • the children to all clear hand signals alone or in conjunction have reached the opposite curb. with the “stop” paddle. • Walk back to the curb with the “stop” pedestrians crossing at paddle held high the entire way. the crosswalk. The proper hand signal to stop traffic Lower it when you have reached the requires you to raise your arm forward curb. and toward traffic, parallel to the ground • Remain near the curb for the next with palm and fingers flexed upward. group of children. White or bright orange gloves help attract drivers’ attention. Signalized Crosswalks Work with administrators to establish Unsignalized Crosswalks whether the signal at your assigned crosswalk provides enough time for you

to stand at the center of the street while approaching traffic and students. Guards students cross the crosswalk. If it should take the following precautions. doesn’t, ask your local committee to • One guard should stop one direction assign more guards or add more time to of traffic, while the other controls the signal; alternatively, you could escort opposite lanes. students across the street and return to • To coordinate signaling, the guard your starting position on the next signal on the side of the street from which cycle. Follow these steps to ensure safe children are approaching makes crossing. decisions, with the second guard • Stand on the curb from which taking cues from the first guard. children are approaching. • Guards should not cross students • Stop children a safe distance from during a left turn signal when the the curb, and instruct them to cross “don’t walk” signal flashes and only on your signal. should ensure all vehicles turning • Teach children riding bicycles, right yield. scooters or skateboards to dismount • More than two guards may be and walk across the street as a necessary at a major intersection pedestrian. where children must cross two or Gaps in Traffic • Enter the street only with a “walk” more legs of intersection. signal, with the “stop” paddle held high. Stand on the crosswalk line Emergencies Use existing gaps in traffic closest to the intersection. In case of emergency, stay at your post, to help students cross • Face oncoming traffic and make eye keep control of the situation and follow safely. When the natural contact with drivers attempting to these procedures. flow doesn’t allow enough turn. 1. Stop crossing children. • Verbally instruct students to begin 2. Group children away from the street. time, you may need to scanning left-right-left and over the 3. Stay with the group of children away create gaps by temporarily shoulder, and cross when clear. from the street to be sure they don’t stopping traffic. You • Instruct students to continue scatter. if the signal changes to “don’t walk,” 4. Ask several people to call 911. should always be the first but not to start crossing at this time. 5. Do not move a victim unless there is person in the street and • Wait for children to reach the serious and immediate danger of the last person out of the opposite side of the street. being struck by a vehicle. • Return to the curb with the “stop” 6. Use a vehicle to block the victim street. paddle held high. from traffic, a distance away so if struck, would not endanger rescue Two or More Guards workers. 7. Notify a supervisor as soon as When there are four or more lanes, two This flyer is for informational purposes only and is not guards are required. Each stands on the possible. intended as medical or legal advice. 8. When emergency vehicles arrive, crosswalk line closest to the approaching © 2011 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved. traffic for that side of the street, between keep children a safe distance away.