Crossing guards are the first line of defense against traffic in school zones.
A lot of effort goes into training them to make sure your kids are in safe hands in the morning and during pickup.
Hundreds of crossing guards around the Valley just went through boot camp to get ready for the new school year. Police and fire personnel were there to update them on traffic laws and safety codes.
They also run drills to safely get the kids across the street and also make smart choices for drivers too.
"The mark of a good crossing guard can gauge traffic and decide when it's the right time to step into the street so they don't force cars to slam on the breaks,” Transportation Planning Engineer Brandon Forrey said.
“If a crossing guard is doing that properly we find the motorists have a lot more respect for the crossing guards and will be more willing to stop for them when they do step out into the street.”
Forrey said a common mistake parents make is stopping in the cross walk to let the kids out instead of moving to the designated drop zones.
A simple way that parents can help make school zones safer is to follow the crossing guard’s signals themselves when walking with children so it helps set a good example and build good habits when they walk solo.
