I am attempting to use your paper to voice my concerns about pedestrian and crossing guard safety. I’ve been a crossing guard on the corner of Main and Central Street for the city of Springfield for nearly 17 years.  I cannot stress enough to the drivers how much at risk you are putting the school children and the crossing guards by your careless driving practices.

On a daily basis I witness approximately 80 percent of the drivers texting. I cannot tell you how many times when I’m in the middle of the road crossing the kids that there are so many drivers that will run the red light and speed by me. There are many that will take an illegal turn from Central Street onto Main Street when I’m in the middle of the street.

On many occasions when the school buses pull up with their lights flashing and their stop sign out at least four to five cars will speed up and bypass the bus’s warnings. I am finding as the years go on that being a crossing guard is becoming a very dangerous job.

If I am in the middle of crossing a large group of kids and the light turns green in the middle of my crossing, I shouldn’t be subjected to honking, insults from the drivers and then speed up past me to intimidate me or to get your point across that you are annoyed that you missed the light. Has our society become so self absorbed and impatient to take the risk of killing a child?  There has been an alarming increase of crossing guard and pedestrian fatalities in this city. Wake up drivers! You are putting peoples lives at risk.

Ironically enough, I have to attend a crossing safety class each school year. Included in this training is the proper way to hold my stop sign. How to instruct the children of safety rules etc. This is all well and good, but if the drivers continue to ignore my stop sign or my presence in the middle of the helpful, then all the training in the world isn't helpful. I recommend that at the beginning of each school, that the superintendent, via the news media, make a public announcement regarding safety for the school children and the crossing guards that have been hired to get your children safely across the street to and from school. If this yearly reminder has an effect on just a few drivers than it would be well worth it.

Thank you for letting me voice my frustration and concerns. Drivers need to be reminded that I am out there for child safety, not dodging your cars to avoid getting hit. Take a few extra minutes during school hours and be courteous and patient. A few extra minutes might save a life.

Kim DeMaio
Springfield