New Orleans, Louisiana
School Crossing Guard Manual
2016 edition
This manual is made possible through the generous support of the Louisiana Safe Routes to School
Program and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
1
Contents
Section I: Introduction and Policies and Procedures .................................................................................... 3
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Goals of the Crossing Guard Program ....................................................................................................... 3
Administration .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Staffing and funding .............................................................................................................................. 4
Trainers ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Crossing guards ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Qualifications of guards ........................................................................................................................ 4
Recertification of guards ....................................................................................................................... 5
Guard placement .................................................................................................................................. 5
Section II Guard Training Manual ................................................................................................................. 6
Classroom Instruction ............................................................................................................................... 6
Why we need crossing guards .............................................................................................................. 6
Expectations of a crossing guard .......................................................................................................... 6
Common hazards at Intersections. ....................................................................................................... 7
Applicable traffic regulations and traffic signals................................................................................... 9
Infrastructure markings and signs ...................................................................................................... 10
Uniforms and Equipment .................................................................................................................... 10
Weather .............................................................................................................................................. 11
When an emergency arises ................................................................................................................. 11
What is a crosswalk? ........................................................................................................................... 11
Crossing Guard Techniques..................................................................................................................... 13
Techniques used in school guard crossings ........................................................................................ 13
Procedures for a Typical Crosswalk (Un-signalized Crossing) ............................................................. 13
Signalized Intersections ...................................................................................................................... 15
Intersections with Neutral Grounds (medians) .................................................................................. 15
On-Site Training .................................................................................................................................. 16
Appendix 1: Assessment of Guard Placement ............................................................................................ 17
Appendix 2: Performance Checklist for School Crossing Guards ................................................................ 19
Appendix 3: Other information applicable to crossing guards ................................................................... 21
Resources .................................................................................................................................................... 22
2
Section I: Introduction and Policies and Procedures
Introduction
Adult crossing guards play an important role in ensuring the safety of children when arriving to and
departing from school. The National Safe Routes to School guide says that “Crossing guards promote
safe behaviors at crosswalks by helping children safely cross the street at key locations and reminding
drivers of the presence of pedestrians.” Crossing guards are beneficial because they can help control
behaviors at high risk locations and therefore can make parents more comfortable in allowing their
children to walk or bike to school.
The Louisiana Legislature adopted the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) under
Revised Statutes (RS) 32:235. In December 2011, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and
Development (DOTD) approved the use of the MUTCD issued in 2009 by the Federal Highway
Administration. The manual ensures a national standard for specifications for traffic control devices in
the United States, under which there is a section indicating requirements for the supervision of school
crossings by adult crossing guards.
The City of New Orleans developed crossing guard standards. This manual will serve as an update of
that crossing guard manual and serve as the first statewide crossing guard manual in Louisiana. Support
for the update of the manual is provided by the Louisiana Safe Routes to School grant H.011140.
This manual will provide a standardized and systematic training and certification program to be used in
New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. It contains a standard curriculum which should be used at all
Louisiana schools and written and practical tests to ensure the guards have adequately learned the
required skills.
This manual recognizes that some guidelines are obligatory, while others are left to the discretion of the
school or school system. Guidelines that are obligatory are explained with the verb “shall” while
recommendations are explained following the verb “should.” Optional guidelines are preceded by the
verb “may.”
Goals of the Crossing Guard Program
The principal goal of the crossing guard program is to ensure students who are walking and biking to
school arrive safely and model appropriate behaviors in crossing streets. It accomplishes this by
ensuring students are crossing streets with traffic at appropriate times and at designated crossing
locations such as corners or marked crosswalks. Upon completion of the class, guards will learn the
skills necessary to help children arrive at school safely:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Understand a child’s perspective in traffic
Understand the types of pedestrian crashes
Understand the laws that govern crossing guards
Know how and when it is appropriate to cross students
Teach students safe and legal street crossing skills
Recognize hazardous conditions and how to address them
Learn the expectations of the crossing guards for the program
3
Administration
Staffing and funding
Each charter organization or school district is responsible for providing their own crossing guard
programs. Therefore, each organization should be responsible for staffing and funding their own
crossing guards, including training. Guards may be paid or volunteers, which is at the discretion of the
charter organization or school district.
Charter organizations or the school district are responsible for training their own guards in New Orleans
and should have a designated trainer(s) within the organization to administer the training following the
procedures explained in this manual. The charter organizations and school districts may decide if they
would like to have the trainers deliver the in-class section through an organized class or self-learning by
the prospective guards. Each guard shall take the in-class training section followed by the written exam.
After passage of the written exam, guards shall take the on-site training.
Trainers
Each school district or charter organization should have at least one trainer that they can rely on to
provide instruction to the new crossing guards in the organization or district. A trainer shall pass the
written exam with a minimum of 85% and complete the practical exam with all satisfactory scores. The
guard trainer certification shall last for 10 years. To be recertified, a trainer shall retake the trainer
course.
Trainers are responsible for training new crossing guards for their district or charter organization. They
shall be responsible for training new guards through classroom and practical training sessions and guard
supervision. Assessments shall be completed for each guard by the trainer (Appendix 2). The trainer
shall record the classroom and practical training dates, written exam score, guard supervision date(s)
and on-site observation dates and times.
Crossing guards
Each charter organization or school district should conduct a training course for new guards yearly or as
needed to have sufficient guards to operate a continuous program. Crossing guards shall be trained by
the certified trainer from the charter organization or school district or another qualified trainer
approved by the district or organization. Training shall consist of two mandatory and one optional
elements: classroom training (mandatory), practical training (mandatory) and supervised duty
(optional). The classroom and practical training shall be completed prior to the guard being assigned to
a street crossing and the supervised section is completed at the discretion of the supervising agency.
The guards shall complete the following requirements satisfactorily:
1. Classroom instruction: This instruction can be taught in a classroom session(s) by the certified
trainer or through self-instruction by the prospective guard. The crossing guard shall pass with a
minimum of 75% on the written exam.
2. Practical exam: The guard shall go to his or her post to learn the site and any obstacles. The
school or charter district may observe the guard perform duties before children are present.
3. Supervised duty: The school district or charter organization may supervise the guard at their
discretion.
Qualifications of guards
The qualifications of guards are explicitly laid out in the 7D.03 of the MUTCD. High standards for
selection of adult crossing guards are essential because they are responsible for the safety of and the
efficient crossing of the street by school children within and in the immediate vicinity of school
crosswalks. Adult crossing guards should possess the following minimum qualifications:
A. Average intelligence;
4
B. Good physical condition, including sight, hearing, and ability to move and maneuver quickly in
order to avoid danger from errant vehicles;
C. Ability to control a STOP paddle effectively to provide approaching road users with a clear, fully
direct view of the paddle’s STOP message during the entire crossing movement;
D. Ability to communicate specific instructions clearly, firmly, and courteously;
E. Ability to recognize potentially dangerous traffic situations and warn and manage students in
sufficient time to avoid injury.
F. Mental alertness;
G. Neat appearance;
H. Good character;
I. Dependability; and
J. An overall sense of responsibility for the safety of students.
A guard should pass a criminal background check, which is left to the discretion of the charter
organization or school district.
Recertification of guards
A guard shall be recertified annually at the beginning of each school year to ensure that the guard has
maintained their skills. The recertification course shall include the practical and on-site observations
only and any changes to the training manual in the previous year.
Guard placement
Many factors contribute to the need for a crossing guard. General federal guidance states that “adult
crossing guards may be used to provide gaps in traffic at school crossings where an engineering study
has shown that adequate gaps need to be created and where authorized by law.” (FHWA MUTCD 7D.02)
“The frequency of gaps in the traffic stream that are sufficient for student crossing is different at each
crossing location. When the delay between the occurrence of adequate gaps becomes excessive,
students might become impatient and endanger themselves by attempting to cross the street during an
inadequate gap.” (FHWA MUTCD Section 7A.03)
Gap Assessment - Observing traffic flow and conditions
Crossing guards assist children by identifying adequate gaps in traffic or by creating adequate gaps. The
Institute of Transportation Engineer’s “School Trip Safety Program Guidelines” defines an acceptable gap
as the minimum time between vehicles that 85 percent of all groups of pedestrians waiting to cross a
street will accept as adequate to cross the street and that at least one adequate gap should occur each
minute to allow for children to cross without undue delay. Ultimately, local criteria and traffic
engineering judgment and analysis are needed to determine when and where an adult crossing guard is
needed. Additional guidance in selecting locations for crossing guards is available in Appendix 1.
5
Section II Guard Training Manual
Classroom Instruction
Why we need crossing guards
As children become more overweight and obese in the United States, walking and biking is a good way
to help them combat weight issues and become more active. Children should be encouraged to walk or
bike to school as a healthy activity. In New Orleans and greater Louisiana, this is not necessarily feasible
for students living far from schools, but should be for those living within a mile of school. Yet those
children aren’t walking either for a variety of reasons including the safety of the children. Adult crossing
guards can reduce safety issues related to traffic and excessively busy streets.
Adult crossing guards are needed because children lack the cognitive development and physical
characteristics of an adult. Here are some examples that illustrate how children differ than adults:
• Children are shorter than adults which makes it more difficult for cars to see them when they
are at a crosswalk.
• Children’s height and judgement makes it difficult to judge the distance and speed of cars.
• Their judgement makes it difficult to understand how weather and other factors may affect safe
crossing situations.
• Children aren’t always able to determine the most important things to concentrate on when
crossing streets, such as the speed of oncoming traffic, where cars are coming from, distance
across the street.
• Children are easily distracted.
• Children pattern their actions after other children and adults.
• Children don’t accurately gauge risk.
The principal goal of the crossing guard program is to ensure students who are walking and biking to
school arrive safely and model appropriate behaviors in crossing streets. It accomplishes this by
ensuring students are crossing streets with traffic, at appropriate times and at designated crossing
locations such as corners or marked crosswalks. Upon completion of the class, guards will learn the
skills necessary to assist children in arriving to school safely:
Expectations of a crossing guard:
• Understand a child’s perspective in traffic
• Understand the types of pedestrian crashes
• Understand the laws that govern crossing guards
• Know how and when it is appropriate to cross students
• Teach students safe and legal street crossing skills
• Recognize hazardous conditions and how to address them
• Learn the expectations of the crossing guards for the program
Expectations of a crossing guard
There are basic expectations of a guard to ensure professionalism while working/ volunteering:
• Be punctual and reliable for your shifts. This means you shall show up on time for your shift and
notify the school if you are not able to make your assigned shift. Don’t leave your shift early.
• Always wear the retro reflective vest and carry the STOP paddle to your assigned work site.
• Know the area where you are working. Are there potholes or dangerous areas in the sidewalk
and street? Are there other obstacles that might impede children crossing the street?
• Park your car in a legal parking spot.
• Remain standing at your post during your shift so you are visible to the children and adults.
• Do not smoke, use other forms of tobacco or listen to the radio while on duty
6
•
•
Be an example to the children and teach them good behaviors through your actions and
directions.
Do not use personnel cell phones while crossing the children.
Common hazards at Intersections.
There are several types of situations that arise and lead to accidents involving pedestrians and motor
vehicles. In many cases it involves either the pedestrian or driver violating applicable laws. Each of
these scenarios in the pictures below lead to incidents where crashes could occur between a pedestrian
and a vehicle. (Figures courtesy of New Jersey Crossing Guard Manual)
Dart out in front of traffic: This situation is
created because the pedestrian crosses the
street midblock and between parked cars.
This behavior makes it difficult for drivers
to see pedestrians and is dangerous for
pedestrians of all ages.
Dash: This situation occurs as a pedestrian
runs out into the intersection without
looking for oncoming traffic. The
pedestrian should be visible, but the driver
may not have enough time to react to the
pedestrian’s sudden move into the street.
Multiple threat: This type of threat
happens at multi-lane crossings. The driver
in the first lane stops for the pedestrian but
the driver in the second lane does not see
the pedestrian and passes the stopped
vehicle.
7
Multiple threat: In this scenario, there are
multiple lanes of traffic in each direction.
Each lane can have traffic moving at
different speeds creating crossing problems
for the pedestrian.
Through vehicle at un-signalized
intersection: The pedestrian usually has the
right of way when crossing at an unsignalized intersection (RS 32:212), but
vehicles fail to yield the right of way to
pedestrians by not stopping completely or
not looking for pedestrians. Pedestrians
may not cross at the corners which could
also contribute to crashes.
Turning vehicles: As vehicles turn, driver’s
attention might be focused on oncoming
traffic and not pedestrians. This leaves
pedestrians vulnerable crossing the street
in the intersection the driver is turning
toward.
Turning vehicles: This scenario is similar to the
previous one in which drivers are more
attentive to traffic they are merging with
instead of pedestrians crossing the street.
8
Backing vehicles: Parked cars create blind
spots for vehicles backing out of parking
spaces and driveways. They may not see
pedestrians walking on the sidewalk or in
parking lots behind other cars in the lot.
Students crossing the street for school buses:
The law indicates that traffic needs to stop for
students getting on and off buses. Vehicles
not seeing the red flashing lights on school
buses or not stopping for stopped school
buses creates dangerous situations for
students crossing the street. In addition, New
Orleans has many streets with neutral grounds
(medians) that make it difficult for vehicles to
see stopped school buses.
People exiting vehicles with cars passing: This
scenario happens throughout student pick-up
and drop-off times since many students are
picked up on streets in New Orleans. As
students are entering or exiting vehicles, cars
are passing them on the sides of the vehicles.
Applicable traffic regulations and traffic signals
Adult crossing guards may be used to provide gaps in traffic at school crossings where an engineering
study has shown that adequate gaps need to be created and where authorized by law. School crossing
guards are not authorized to control traffic.
In New Orleans, intersections frequently do not have walk signals. In this case the students and crossing
guards need to follow the same system of red, yellow and green lights as vehicles. When a vehicle has a
green light, pedestrians may cross the street in the same direction as the vehicle traffic.
There are three symbols that appear on crosswalk signs indicating what pedestrians’ behavior should be:
• Walking person symbol or “WALK.” This indicates a person can begin to cross the street.
• Flashing Upraised Hand or “DON’T WALK.” This indicates a person in the crosswalk should finish
crossing the street, but any pedestrian who has not begun to cross should wait for the next walk
signal.
• Solid Upraised Hand or “DON’T WALK.” This means that a person should not be in the crosswalk
and should not cross the street even if there is no traffic.
9
Image courtesy of the MUTCD, 2009 edition.
Infrastructure markings and signs
Crossing guards should be familiar with the signs at
the school they are working and the location where
they will be stationed. It is likely that there are
stop or yield signs, traffic lights and signs indicating
school zones. Some examples of school zone signs
are shown at right. The guard should look for the
pavement markings that are at the intersection and
familiarize themselves with signs and traffic signals
at the intersection.
Uniforms and Equipment
A crossing guard has a uniform and equipment that
is easily visible to motorists and pedestrians and
recognizable by the public. The guidelines are
Image courtesy of the MUTCD, 2009 edition
explained in the MUTCD for the uniform and
equipment. The guards shall wear a retroreflective vest, shirt or outer garment that is labeled ANSI class
2 safety vest. The apparel background should be fluorescent yellow-green or orange with retroreflective tape in orange, yellow, silver, white, yellow- green or a combination of these colors. In
addition, a guard may wear a hat or carry a whistle. Each item can help the guard alert drivers of the
existence of children and pedestrians.
The MUTCD recommends that guards use a STOP paddle to signal to drivers and pedestrians. The
MUTCD has guidelines as to the shape, design and size of the STOP paddle. The STOP paddle shall be
octagonal (8 sides) in shape, and say STOP on both sides. The background shall be red with STOP
written in white letters.
10
Weather
Inclement weather can have an effect on drivers and pedestrians and can be a distraction for drivers.
Rain reduces the visibility of drivers and pedestrians. In addition, wet roads increase the stopping
distance and traction for vehicles. Crossing guards should be extra cautious during inclement weather
because students will be less patient if they are getting wet and vehicles might be less in control.
When an emergency arises
During the course of a guard’s duty crashes or illness may happen which result in an emergency. A
guard must stay at his or her post if this happens since the primary responsibility for the guard is the
safety of the children. The guard should take the following steps:
• Stop crossing the children.
• Group the children away from the street and crash or ill person. This will ensure the children
don’t get hurt or impede emergency personnel who are attending to the emergency.
• Remain at the assigned post with the children.
• Ask others near the scene to call 911.
• Do not move any injured people, unless they are in immediate danger.
• Notify the supervisor of the incident after the incident has been addressed.
What is a crosswalk?
All intersections are crosswalks, even if they aren’t marked (R. S.
32.1(13)). Some examples of common crosswalks in New Orleans are
shown in the photos below and to the right. Crosswalk markings are
used at some intersections to provide guidance by indicating
appropriate paths and alerting drivers that a crosswalk is ahead. Midblock crosswalks are established by the crosswalk markings.
Additional details regarding crosswalks are available in Appendix 3.
In New Orleans there are two typical crosswalk configurations at intersections. In one situation (above)
you have a two- or four-lane road without a neutral ground (median). Pedestrians must be able to cross
all lanes of traffic in one light cycle. Traffic could travel in one or two directions in this scenario. The
second type of intersection configuration (below) includes a neutral ground (median). This is safer for
11
pedestrians because they only have to cross one side of traffic within one light cycle and watch for
traffic traveling in one direction. Pedestrians can cross into the neutral ground (median) during one light
cycle and wait for the second light to cross the second half of the street.
In New Orleans, it is
permitted to have
mid-block crossings,
which are indicated by
crosswalk lines. A
signal is encouraged
since vehicles are not
accustomed to
stopping mid-block for
pedestrian crossings.
Intersections can also
be signaled with a
traffic light or
controlled only by a
stop or yield sign. In
the case of traffic lights, pedestrians are only permitted to cross when they have a green light, or a walk
symbol. When an intersection has a stop sign, pedestrians are permitted to cross when they arrive at
the cross walk. Vehicles have the right of way if they have started moving before the pedestrian has
reached the curb.
12
Crossing Guard Techniques
This section describes the skills needed to cross students and the process guards should follow at a
typical crosswalk. In all cases the technique for crossing pedestrians is the same but the procedures
change based on the type of intersection. This manual will describe the basic procedures necessary to
safely cross pedestrians and then describe how the processes change for other intersections such as
ones without signals or with neutral grounds (medians). It is acceptable to cross adults if they would like
you to cross them, but the primary responsibility is to cross children.
The information in this section was adapted from the Florida School Crossing Guard Training Guidelines,
New Jersey Crossing Guard Manual for Supervisors, and Minnesota’s Adult School Crossing Guard
Guidelines.
Techniques used in school guard crossings
Traffic searching procedure
• Stop at the curb or the edge of the street.
• Scan left, right, left for traffic in both directions.
• Look over your shoulder for possible turning cars and forward to see any possible approaching
dangers.
• When crossing the street continue to scan for oncoming cars.
Signaling to drivers
•
•
•
STOP Paddle: The paddle is raised to notify vehicles
that pedestrians will be crossing the street. It is done
by raising the arm facing the traffic that is farther away
from the side of the street that you are crossing
(opposite side of the street). The paddle is raised above
shoulder height. The STOP paddle is recommended but
not obligatory.
Hand Signals: Hand signals are used in place of a STOP paddle or in conjunction with the STOP
paddle. If the STOP paddle is used the guard raises one hand. If not, the guard raises both
hands towards each direction of oncoming traffic.
Whistle: If a whistle is used by the guard, the whistle should be in the guards’ mouth when
crossing the street. The whistle can be used to notify oncoming drivers that pedestrians will be
crossing the street and to get the driver’s attention when they don’t appear to notice the STOP
paddle.
Procedures for a Typical Crosswalk (Un-signalized Crossing)
1. Curbside Assembly: The guard stands on the corner and has
the students wait in a group until the appropriate time to cross.
The students should wait one foot or more back from the curb.
This is a good time for the guard to explain to the children good
street crossing behaviors and applicable laws.
13
2. Select an Opportune Time: As the students are waiting to cross
the guard scans the traffic on the street that the students will be
crossing and the traffic that may be turning onto the block. The
guard looks for an opportune time to create a sufficient gap in
traffic for the students to cross the street.
3. Enter Crosswalk Stopping Near Side Traffic: The guard should
raise the STOP paddle and have the sign lead the guard into the
street with whistle in mouth. The guard walks to the center of
the street stopping traffic on both sides of the street.
4. Stop Far Side Traffic: The guard walks to the center of the street
stopping traffic on both sides of the street. Ensure that the
STOP paddle is held above shoulder level so vehicles on both
sides of the street can clearly see the sign.
5. Take Position: The guard stops in the middle of the intersection
and looks to make sure all traffic has stopped. The STOP paddle
and hand are maintained above shoulder level indicating traffic
should remain stopped.
6. Initiate Crossing: The guard signals to the children with his or
her voice and tells them to cross the street. Remind the
students to look for traffic by scanning left, right, left and over
their shoulder before crossing the street.
7. Maintain Position: As children cross the street, the guard
should remain in position until the children finish crossing the
street. The guard should monitor that vehicles don’t cross the
sidewalk while the children are in the crosswalk.
14
8. Return to the curb: The guard returns to the starting curb while
continuing to hold the STOP paddle at shoulder level. The guard
lowers the paddle after reaching the curb. The guard waits for
the next set of students to arrive at the intersection.
Signalized Intersections
The steps to cross a signalized street are similar to an un-signalized street
except the traffic lights indicate the appropriate time to cross the street.
After the curbside assembly, the crossing guard will wait for a walk signal
to cross the street or cross on the green light. In New Orleans and
Louisiana, many streets with traffic lights do not have walk signals, so
they have to cross when the green light appears. After a green light or
walk symbol appears, the guard scans left, right, left for traffic. The guard
will enter the street with the STOP paddle higher than shoulder level and
proceed with step three highlighted above.
Intersections with Neutral Grounds (medians)
In New Orleans, many streets have neutral grounds (medians). There
are streets with neutral grounds with one, two or three lanes of
traffic in each direction. It is ideal to have two crossing guards for a
street with neutral grounds (medians), but it is also acceptable to
cross each side of the street
separately by one crossing guard.
The picture below indicates how
the crossing guards should
position themselves with two
crossing guards. Alternatively, a
single crossing guard can cross
one side of the street with the
children on one light cycle and
cross the second half of the street
on a second green light.
15
On-Site Training
After the guard has finished the in-class session and passed the quiz, the guard should familiarize him or
herself with the crossing guard site and practice the techniques learned in the classroom. Below are
some tips for the new guard when first going to their assigned duty post.
1. The guard should familiarize themselves with the intersection at which they will be working. See
what traffic signs are at the intersection and leading to the intersection. What signs are at the
crosswalk location? Are there traffic lights? Are there “School Zone” signs?
2. The guard should familiarize themselves with the traffic pattern at the intersection. Does one street
have more traffic than the other street? Is there more traffic in one direction than the other? Are
the lights short so pedestrians crossing the street have to move quickly?
3. The guard should familiarize themselves on where the students come from and what time they
usually arrive at the intersection to cross.
16
Appendix 1: Assessment of Guard Placement
Gap Assessment - Observing traffic flow and conditions
Crossing guards assist children by identifying adequate gaps in traffic or by creating adequate
gaps. The Institute of Transportation Engineer’s “School Trip Safety Program Guidelines”
defines an acceptable gap as the minimum time between vehicles that 85 percent of all groups
of pedestrians waiting to cross a street will accept as adequate to cross the street and that at
least one adequate gap should occur each minute to allow for children to cross without undue
delay. Ultimately, local criteria and traffic engineering judgment and analysis are needed to
determine when and where a school crossing guard is needed.
Placement considerations
Traffic Surveys
Sites where a school crossing guard may be needed can be surveyed by the police department
and the municipal engineering department following requests or observations made by the
school crossing guard supervisor, school officials, or concerned parents. Given changes in
school-age population from year to year, the police department may find it necessary to
conduct an annual survey to identify locations requiring crossing guard supervision.
Discontinuation of a crossing guard post due to shifts in traffic or student population or due to
fiscal constraints should be documented.
Additional Factors
The Institute of Transportation Engineers lists additional factors that may affect the
determination of placement for adult crossing guards.
Age of students: Younger students have a harder time judging the safety of an intersection, as
they have more difficulty judging the speed and distance of approaching vehicles. They may be
more tempted to cross during an unsafe gap in traffic.
Road conditions (width, number of lanes): The complexity of the crossing may warrant the
need for a crossing guard. Wide streets with multiple lanes of traffic may require the use of
multiple crossing guards.
Sight distance: These conditions are measured from a student’s and driver’s perspectives and
calculated using actual vehicle operating speeds. Temporary obstructions (such as parked cars)
may also be factors.
Presence or absence of traffic control devices: Determine if the existing traffic control devices
are appropriate. Does a signalized intersection at a school crossing location have a Walk/Don’t
Walk signal, and if so, does that signal have a push button? Is it fixed time?
Vehicle speed: A crossing located along a higher speed roadway may require a crossing guard
because children have a harder time judging necessary stopping distance than adults and may
have a harder time identifying safe gaps in traffic.
Volumes of traffic and pedestrians: Traffic volumes at the intersections should be monitored,
as should current and projected pedestrian demand based on school demographics.
Attendance boundary and walk zone for school: The distances that walk zones extend from
schools and policies for school bus transportation affect the number of children walking to
school and the routes they take. They also vary by school district and by age of the students
attending the school.
Distance of crossing from school, and adjacent land use: Proximity of a school to residential
neighborhoods may increase the potential number of student pedestrians, more so than
proximity to other uses.
17
Crash history: All crashes along the roadways included on the school route plan should be
reviewed and analyzed. Various attributes of these crashes (type, frequency, time of day, etc.)
should be analyzed to determine their relevance to school safety.
18
Appendix 2: Performance Checklist for School Crossing Guards
Performance Checklist for Crossing Guards
Guard Name: ______________________________ School: _____________________________
Classroom Test Date: ________________________ Exam Score: _________________________
Practical Training Date: ______________________ Trainer’s Signature:_____________________
Follow Up Evaluation Date: ___________________ Trainer’s Signature:_____________________
Written Test
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Crossing guards direct traffic.
True
It is ok to cross adults.
True
It is ok to arrive late for your shift.
True
You can listen to the radio while you are on duty.
True
It is ok to let the children cross whenever they want to cross.
True
Each supervised crossing is an opportunity to teach the students safe crossing skills.
True
(Circle One)
False
False
False
False
False
False
7. What are the two required elements of a crossing guard uniform:
__________________________________________________________________________________
8. What is the correct height to hold a STOP paddle?
A. Shoulder height
B. Waist height
9. Where should you look for traffic?
___________________________________________________________________________________
10. Where should the children wait to cross the street?
___________________________________________________________________________________
11. What should you ask the children to do before they enter the street?
___________________________________________________________________________________
12. What should the children do when the guard enters the street to signal?
___________________________________________________________________________________
13. What kind of signal do you use to let students know it is safe to cross?
___________________________________________________________________________________
14. When is it appropriate to leave the crosswalk and return to your starting position?
___________________________________________________________________________________
15. Should cars be allowed to enter the crosswalk when the children are crossing the street?
___________________________________________________________________________________
16. What should you do in an emergency situation?
___________________________________________________________________________________
19
Written Test: Answer key
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Crossing guards direct traffic.
True
It is ok to cross adults.
True
It is ok to arrive late for your shift.
True
You can listen to the radio while you are on duty.
True
It is ok to let the children cross whenever they want to cross
True
Each supervised crossing is an opportunity to teach the students safe crossing skills.
True
(Circle One)
False
False
False
False
False
False
7. What are the two required elements of a crossing guard uniform:
____Crossing guard (retro reflective) vest and STOP paddle __________________________________
8. What is the correct height to hold a STOP paddle?
C. Shoulder height.
D. Waist height
9. Where should you look for traffic?
______To the left, right, behind you and in front of you_____________________________________
10. Where should the children wait to cross the street?
______On the sidewalk _______________________________________________________________
11. What should you ask the children to do before they enter the street?
______Look left, right, left and behind them if they are at an intersection ______________________
12. What should the children do when the guard enters the street to signal?
______Wait for the guard to signal that it is ok to enter the street____________________________
13. What kind of signal do you use to let students know it is safe to cross?
______Verbal_______________________________________________________________________
14. When is it appropriate to leave the crosswalk and return to your starting position?
______After the children have finished crossing the street___________________________________
15. Should cars be allowed to enter the cross walk when the children are crossing the street?
______No__________________________________________________________________________
16. What should you do in an emergency situation?
Make sure the children are safe on the sidewalk and away from the emergency and have someone
call 911__________________________________________________________________________
20
Appendix 3: Other information applicable to crossing guards
Laws governing crosswalks in Louisiana.
1. All intersections are crosswalks, even if they aren’t marked (RS 32:1(13)).
2. Crosswalk markings provide guidance for pedestrians who are crossing roads by defining
and delineating paths on approaches to and within signalized intersections, and on
approaches to other intersections where traffic stops.
3. In conjunction with signs and other measures, crosswalk markings help to alert road
users of a designated pedestrian crossing point across roads at locations that are not
controlled by traffic control signals or STOP or YIELD signs.
4. At non-intersection locations, crosswalk markings legally establish the crosswalk.
5. Standard: When crosswalk lines are used, they shall consist of solid white lines that
mark the crosswalk. They shall not be less than 6 inches or greater than 24 inches in
width. (MUTCD, 2009)
6. Pedestrian right-of-way in crosswalks (RS 32:212)
A. When traffic-control signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver of a
vehicle shall stop and yield the right-of-way, to a pedestrian crossing the
roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the roadway upon
which the vehicle is traveling or the roadway onto which the vehicle is turning.
B. No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or
run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver
to yield.
C. Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any unmarked
crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the
driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass
such stopped vehicle.
D. Subsection A of this Section shall not apply where the pedestrian is crossing a
roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing
has been provided.
7. Crossing at other than crosswalks (RS 32:213)
a. Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked
crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the
right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
b. Between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation
pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.
21
Resources
1. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno_2009r1r2.htm
2. Florida School Crossing Guard Training Guidelines. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/safety/2APrograms/Bike-Ped/FSCGT%20Guidelines_March%202012_FINAL%5B1%5D.pdf
3. Colorado Department of Transportation Adult School Crossing Guard Guidelines.
https://www.codot.gov/programs/bikeped/safe-routes/training-curriculum/training/crossingguard/COSRTSE-CrossingGuardTrainingManual
4. New Jersey School Crossing Guard Manual for Supervisors.
http://www.njcrossingguards.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/NJ-Crossing-Guard-TrainingManual_Web-Destinations1.pdf
5. American Automobile Association. Adult School Crossing Guard Training.
https://www.aaafoundation.org/store/between-lines-adult-school-crossing-guard-training
6. American Automobile Association. Children in Traffic.
https://www.aaafoundation.org/store/children-traffic
7. Louisiana revised statutes. This has the laws governing walking and biking in Louisiana.
https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Laws_Toc.aspx?folder=75&level=Parent
8. National Safe Routes to School website. This site has walking and biking resources available
including recommendations for increasing walking and biking to school, training tools, and a
calendar of Safe Routes to School Events. http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/
22