Lehi City News
Police remind Lehi drivers to watch for crossing guards
Nichole Coombs | Lehi Free Press
It’s that time of year again when school is back in session, and drivers share the road with children walking to and from school.
“This time of year, awareness is everything,” said Lehi Police Department’s Sargent Lily Southwick. “We want to remind drivers to watch for our kids in crosswalks and remind them to watch for the crossing guards, too.”
The Lehi Police Department says 26 crossing guards across the city help over 18,000 students get to school safely every day. Utah law mandates that every school maintain a child access routing plan, formerly known as the Student Neighborhood Access Program (SNAP). Each school district and community council reviews this plan yearly to ensure students have a safe walking route.
“We take safety very seriously,” said Southwick. “The safe walking routes not only help children get to and from school safely, but they also help officers know the most common route students walk. If a student doesn’t get home on time, officers know the most common path a student takes, and we start looking there.”
Another reason Southwick says students should take the safest route is that safety comes in numbers.
“Children walking in groups are safer than those walking alone. They are easier for drivers to spot and they are generally walking in school zones or neighborhoods where the speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less.”
Over the last two weeks, several crossing guards have taken to social media to remind drivers of the rules of the road at crosswalks.
One crossing guard said, “I want to remind drivers that if there are any pedestrians in the crosswalk, it doesn’t matter if it’s an adult or a child, you must remain stopped until the crossing guard and any pedestrians have completely cleared the crosswalk. Don’t start moving just because the children have passed your lane.”
Another crossing guard said she’s had too many close calls to count. “I’ve seen cars come within inches of students or myself because they don’t want to wait 15 more seconds.”
Others say they have been verbally assaulted because the driver is upset.
“It’s not necessary, and it’s rude. We are doing our jobs by keeping kids safe.”
Southwick also says drivers need to remember the rules when passing school buses. She reminds drivers that it’s illegal to pass a bus on either side if its lights are flashing and its stop sign is out.
“Injuring a child because you are impatient isn’t an excuse,” said Southwick. “Our crossing guards and bus drivers are very good, and they do their jobs well, and we haven’t had any injuries. However, we’ve had too many close calls.”
