For more than 85 years, the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) has trained Grade 5 students across the province to become safety patrollers.
It has a strong track record of keeping kids safe.
“During that time, there have been zero serious injuries or fatalities when a patroller has been on a crosswalk,” said Allison Purcell, AMA school safety patrol coordinator.
For first-time patrollers Charlotte Loewen and Briar Maret, it brings confidence to their school.
“I was not allowed to cross by myself for a long time and this will help adults feel more safe for their kids,” said Loewen, a Grade 5 student at West Coulee Ridge Elementary School in Lethbridge.
Maret also attends that school and she believes patrolling gives her experience in leadership as well.
“It shows the kids younger than us that this is how you’re supposed to cross behave and this is how you’re supposed to cross the crosswalk.”
But safety patrol requires cooperation from the entire community.
“It’s just a good reminder that we are watching for patrollers when we are coming up to a crosswalk, we’re paying attention to what their commands are. It’s pretty easy to see their stop signs when we need to stop,” said Purcell.
Police say drivers who fail to follow the rules of the road could face consequences.
“We’ll have an extra push to remind drivers, pedestrians and students that we’re back in class now. There will be automated enforcement as well as conventional enforcement,” said Sgt. Tony Ramotowski of the Lethbridge Police Service’s traffic response unit.
He says pedestrians also need to be responsible, though.
“Look both ways, use a crosswalk, if there’s lights, turn the lights on. If you’re walking up to the school zone, you see a driver, make eye contact with them, make sure they see you.”
In Lethbridge, all playground and school zones are harmonized. This means both zones have a 30 km/h speed limit from 7:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. every day.
