Follow our journey through the democratic process as we make our school zones safe for everyone! Check out the menu bar above for more information about our goals, objectives, and reasons for much needed changes.
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It’s such a shame that school has just barely entered it’s second month of the new session and tragedy has already taken place to those who protect our parents, children and neighbors. Both incidents cite ‘sun glare’ as the possible cause. Regardless of the so-called reason, if additional yield lines within school zones might have prevented one or both of these tragedies by crossing guards being aware of any vehicle NOT stopping in advance of the crosswalk.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 – DES MOINES, IOWA
A school crossing guard in Ankeny has died after being struck by a pickup truck Thursday morning.Ankeny Police say 78-year-old Frank Luttrell was working as a crossing guard at the intersection of West First and SW School Street at 7:40 a.m. when he was hit by pickup truck. Police say Luttrell was waiting for the light to change so he could escort Terrace Elementary School students across the street and when he stepped off of the curb he was hit by a truck driven by 63-year-old Laurin Cole.Investigators say Cole was driving eastbound on West First Street and drove through a red light, then struck Luttrell. Cole told police he did not see Luttrell, though he was wearing a reflective vest and holding a stop sign above his head.
Luttrell was taken to Mercy Medical Center where he died.
Cole is not believed to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident.
Investigators are working on reconstructing the accident and say results of their investigation will be available within the next few days.
Luttrell and his wife moved to Ankeny four years ago in order to be closer to grandchildren.
And…
Before Monday’s death of 35-year-old Lovette Person, the job of school crossing guard had been remarkably safe in the city.
The job had been so safe, in fact, that not only had no crossing guard died on the job in at least four decades, only two had suffered even minor injuries in that span, according to police spokeswoman Kelly O’Sullivan.
On Tuesday, the community mourned Person’s death from injuries after she was struck by a pickup as she worked a crossing in Western Branch at 7:30 a.m. Monday.
A driver in a red Toyota Tundra – who told police she could not see because of the glare from the sun as she drove east on Terry Drive – struck Person in the crosswalk. It happened in front of Western Branch Intermediate School.
The driver, whose name was not released, is unlikely to be charged, according to police.
National figures reflect the job’s overall safety.
Nine crossing guards were killed in the United States in 2010, according to figures from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. In 2009, there was a spike, with 12, and the year before that nine were killed. The majority of the deaths were caused by vehicles striking the guards.
In the city, school crossing guards are employees of the Police Department and receive two to three days of training in traffic enforcement, according to an email sent by O’Sullivan.
They are issued a traffic vest, whistle, white gloves (which are optional) and a hand-held stop sign that also is optional, O’Sullivan said.
Crossing guards communicate with the department’s traffic unit and let them know if a high volume of drivers are speeding or disregarding their directions, according to the email.
If there is a persistent problem, traffic enforcement officers will do special patrols in the area and check for violations.
Lt. Johnny Day said the intersection where Person had worked is one of the safest in the city because it’s in a residential neighborhood.
“That’s what’s shocking,” he said.
Veronica Gonzalez, (757) 222-5208, veronica.gonzalez@pilotonline.com
Today I spent the afternoon prepping for my meeting with Senator Becker and her staff. I took pictures of a school zone with my lovely wife and son volunteering as crossing guard and student walker. Thanks to my neighbor Jeff for driving his truck in the photos to show the different areas of danger within the zone.
Ah, the first day of school! Hundreds of nervous kids and happy parents walking to school on this exciting day.
As the sidewalk across from me lined up and ready to cross. I began to let everyone go. Just as the last few were almost in the middle turn lane (the road I cross has two lanes and a turn lane), a car started to go. I jumped over to make sure the kids were out of the way and the other kids and parents approaching on the sidewalk stopped from crossing. The man rolled down his window to take his verbal ‘lashing’ from me. He apologized, as most do, and told me I have a hard job… I told him that his driving makes my job that much harder. After ignoring a few snide remarks from him about the situation as he was now completely stopped in my crosswalk, he drove on… let the new school year begin!
Subject: Meeting w/Senator Becker
From: Holly Harris
To: Todd Hayden
August 25, 2011 2:11PM
Today I had three incidents that quickly remind me of why I’m out there helping kids walk to school safely, and why I’m out there risking my life for the pay I get…
This morning during AM crossing, a truck proceeded to honk at my patrol student crossing with me while pulling forward to make him move so he could get going. I turned around in the crosswalk to make sure the student got out of the way. The guy in the truck told me that we needed to hurry up so he could go.
The second incident today involved crossing parents back from school while I was waiting for a few straggling students. This car was out of the school zone upon me walking out. I quickly realized that it was not going to slow down or stop for that matter. I told the parent to hold on, and quickly reacted by putting my arm out and pushing her and myself back to the curb for safety. The car DID stop… about three feet away from the crosswalk.
The third incident happened after school today. I was crossing the last group of kids and told my son, a student crossing guard to cross back because we were finished. Once again, a car was coming, not slowing down, and coming right towards me, and now my son who was walking behind me in the crosswalk. Knowing and feeling she wasn’t going to stop, I reached behind me to push my son to the curb as this car stopped about an inch away from hitting me. As I stood in front of her, I yelled something about me crossing kids and what she was thinking. Her answer was that she didn’t see me. Now having her at a complete stop, in a bright day-glow green jacket, I proceeded to radio in her license plate number to report to our student resource officer (Pierce County Sheriffs Office), clearly visible at my knees. I noticed she had an infant in the backseat of her car. I told her that one day her kid will be walking… Is this what you want YOUR kid to go through walking to school?
I quickly found out after coming back into school and talking with other Safety Patrol Staff about my incidents, a few others had close calls and crosswalk “runners” today as well.
It’s such a shame that these incidents have become the “norm.”
From: Randi Becker
To: Todd Hayden
Sent:Fri Jun 03 07:29 UTC 2011
Subject: RE: School Zone Dangers
Todd,
Thank you again for bringing this to my attention and I am sorry for the delayed response. I have asked our staff who works on transportation issues to take a look at this. I will go over this with him and see what we can do.
Thank you again for your email.
Sincerely,
Senator Randi Becker
From: Todd Hayden
Sent: Friday, June 3, 2011 4:12 PM
To: Becker, Sen. Randi
Subject: Re: School Zone Dangers
Randi,
Thanks for getting back to me. So, being as how you’re talking to your staffers about this, I’m concerned about what happens next. Do I just wait and see if something ever comes of this, or will they be contacting me to gather input on my experience, suggestions and ideas to make our school zones safe and to save lives?
I am available to discuss this with you and your staff to get my idea/plan going and not forgotten.
Thank you and have a great weekend,
Todd Hayden
