1. New Jersey Crossing Guard Training Part 1

2. INTRODUCTION Why We Need Crossing Guards Goals of the Training Program Primary Responsibilities Duties Shall, Should, May

3. Why We Need Crossing Guards Children are encouraged to walk and bike to school, but their limitations expose them to risks.

4. Why We Need Crossing Guards Leading causes of injury-related death for children ages 5 to 14 nationwide: 1. motor vehicle crashes 2. pedestrian injury Shift from 1969 and 2009: 196948% walked or biked to school 12% driven to school 200913% walked or biked to school 44% driven to school (U.S. DOT, 2009)

5. Why We Need Crossing Guards Until age 9 or 10, children lack the motor and cognitive skills required to safely cross streets. Motorists are distracted approximately 30% of the time they are driving. Lack of focus can lead to driving errors

6. Goals of the Training Program The goal of this training program is to teach crossing guards how to safely cross students.

7. Primary Responsibilities Crossing Guards: Provide safe crossings of the roadways. Model correct street skills and behavior for child pedestrians.

8. CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG CHILDREN

9. Characteristics of Young Children Children: narrower field of vision eye level is lower than an adult view may be easily blocked Children see and understand things differently from adults. © 2010, the State of Florida Department of Transportation

10. Characteristics of Young Children Smaller, not as easily seen by drivers Believe “if I can see it – it can see me.”

11. Characteristics of Young Children Children hear differently – difficulty knowing where sounds are coming from © 2010, the State of Florida Department of Transportation

12. Characteristics of Young Children Children: cannot judge motor vehicle speed & distance do not recognize danger because of limited traffic experience © 2010, the State of Florida Department of Transportation

13. Characteristics of Young Children Children: focus on one thing at a time may not give street crossing full attention will complete any motion they start including crossing the street © 2010, the State of Florida Department of Transportation

14. Characteristics of Young Children Children: think they can do more than they are able to do are spontaneous & curious believe they can run faster or change direction faster than is possible do not understand “Left” and “Right”

15. Characteristics of Young Children Children follow what other people do, whether good or bad.

16. Characteristics of Young Children With education, children’s traffic skills can improve Need assistance until they have gained these skills

17. TRAFFIC LAWS AND REGULATIONS Laws, Regulations, Policies Stop and Stay Stopped Yield to Pedestrians Crosswalks Motor Vehicle Laws School Zone Pedestrian Laws Bicyclist Laws

18. Crosswalk Defined Every intersection has a crosswalk whether marked or unmarked. NJSA 39:1-1

19. If not marked, crosswalks are continuations of the sidewalks or curb/edge of roadway across the intersection. “Marked Crosswalk”

20. Shall, Should, May Practices that are required, mandatory, or specifically prohibited use the verb “shall” or “must.” Practices that are recommended, but not mandatory, use the verb “should.” Optional practices use the verb “may.”

21. Stop and Stay Stopped Motorists must stop and stay stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the roadway in a marked crosswalk, when the pedestrian is in the half of the roadway where the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning.

22. Yield to Pedestrian Motorists must yield to a pedestrian crossing the roadway in any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

23. Pedestrians and Vehicles Drivers making a right turn on red or at a “stop” sign must stop and stay stopped for pedestrians NJSA 39:4-115

24. Pedestrians and Vehicles Pedestrians shall not cross a road against the "stop" or red signal at a crosswalk. NJSA 39:4-32 Pedestrians shall not walk into the path of a vehicle which is so close that the driver can not yield or stop.

25. Pedestrians and Vehicles If a pedestrian is not within a marked or unmarked crosswalk then he or she must yield the right-of-way to all vehicles on the road. NJSA 39:4-32 A pedestrian crossing or starting across on a “go” or green signal who is still in the crosswalk when the signal changes, has the right of way until reaching the opposite curb or place of safety.

26. Motor Vehicle Laws Motorists must obey signals from the STOP paddle held by school crossing guards. The STOP paddle is an official sign under New Jersey law. NJSA 39:1-1

27. School Zone Motorists must obey posted speed limits and be attentive and cautious when pedestrians are present, or likely to be present, especially in school zones. NJSA 39:4-98

28. School Zone The speed limit is 25 mph in a school zone. The only exception is when a lower speed limit is posted. NJSA 39:4-98

29. School Zone

30. Bicycles, Scooters, Skateboards Children on bicycles, scooters or skateboards should: Walk across the street o avoids conflicts among crossing children o allows guard and children to be more attentive & react quickly to traffic hazards Wear a helmet at all times o anyone under 17 who rides bikes or wheeled sports equipment (NJSA 39:4-10.1) Photo credit: © 2010, The State of Florida Department of Transportation

31. CROSSING PROCEDURES Directing Traffic? Gap Assessment Cone/Marker Placement Standard Crossing Protocol Proper Search Pattern Preparing Students to Cross Use of STOP Paddle Difficult Situations Courtesy Crossing of Adult Pedestrians

32. Directing Traffic? Crossing guards shall not direct traffic. They choose good times to create gaps in the traffic flow. They stand in the roadway to show that pedestrians are about to use or are using the crosswalk, and that all vehicles must stop. FHWA MUTCD 7D.05

33. Gap Assessment Stopping distance, the distance required for motorists o to see you, o to recognize the need to stop, o to apply the brake in a reasonable manner, and o to bring the vehicle to a halt. A marker on the roadway or roadside helps with deciding when a gap is sufficient to stop traffic. Allow for greater vehicle stopping distances in rainy, snowy and icy conditions.

34. Cone/Marker Placement Speed Limit (mph)152025303540 Distance (ft)4673102140183234 Assuming no significant hills, this table shows where to place a cone or marker based on vehicle speeds. Distances are measured from nearest crosswalk line to where the marker is to be placed. These distances are for dry pavement and daylight.

35. Traffic Cone/Sign or Marker Clearly Marked Crosswalk 102’ Example: 25 mph (actual speed, dry road conditions) Crossing Guard Cone/Marker Placement

36. Proper Search Pattern Model and reinforce proper crossing behavior: Pause at “traffic edges” Usually, traffic edges are curbs Where there are parked or stopped vehicles, the traffic edge extends beyond the curb At each traffic edge, follow proper search pattern

37. Florida School Crossing Guard Training Program Module -6 / Crossing Techniques Proper Search Pattern LeftRightLeft Over the Shoulder © 2010, the State of Florida Department of Transportation This search pattern needs to be performed each time a guard begins to cross children. A guard is always the first person in the street and the last person out of the street.

38. Preparing Students to Cross Remember: Check if children are scanning for traffic. Watch for students running to join the group. Use bumpy pad or other marker to show children where to stand. Bring the children together in one place.

39. Preparing Students to Cross Talk with children while they are on the sidewalk but NOT in the crosswalk. Remind them to: Scan the street for vehicles Wait at least one step back from the road edge Continue searching while crossing Walk straight across the street Walk bicycles and carry skateboards

40. Use of STOP Paddle 1. When stepping into the crosswalk, raise the STOP paddle and hold it in front of you so it can clearly be seen. © 2010, the State of Florida Department of Transportation

41. Use of STOP Paddle 2. Hold the paddle shoulder-high or higher - one side displayed to “near-side traffic”, the other displayed “far-side traffic.” NEAR SIDE FAR SIDE © 2010, the State of Florida Department of Transportation

42. Use of STOP Paddle 3. Continuing to hold the paddle, look directly at far-side traffic as you approach the middle of the street. NEAR SIDE FAR SIDE © 2010, the State of Florida Department of Transportation

43. Use of STOP Paddle 4. The STOP paddle should be kept raised – Do not switch hands or wave the paddle while in the roadway. © 2010, the State of Florida Department of Transportation

44. Proper Search Pattern Hazardous driver behaviors you may see: Speeding Driving through a crosswalk Stopping in a crosswalk Moving into a crosswalk when making a turn Not yielding/stopping for pedestrians in a crosswalk CROSSING GUARDS SHOULD EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

45. Difficult Situations If heavy traffic or other conditions make crossing pedestrians difficult, notify your supervisor.

46. Courtesy Crossing of Adult Pedestrians You may cross an adult who asks for help as long as it does not conflict with crossing students.