Aug 21 2009
Safety Patrol to the rescue
Schools all across the country are starting back up. Now more than ever its important to keep your eyes on the road and watch out for children. Paula F. Downey, President of Via Magazine wrote an article in the September-October 2009 issue about The importance of safety patrol and a hero from right here in St. George.
Paula writes:
Lulu Beltra thought the driver of the oncoming car would notice her yellow green safety patrol uniform as she helped a first grader cross the parking lot at Dixie Downs Elementary School in St. George, Utah last December. Then Lulu, who was 10, saw that the driver was talking on his cell phone and she sensed that he might not even slow down. She yanked the first grader back by the hood of her sweatshirt just as the car passed them. Lulu’s first action saved the other girl’s life.
In 1935 when such records were first kept, children had the 2nd highest pedestrian death rate of any age group in the US; today, they have the lowest. Experts credit the AAA School Safety Patrol with helping to bring about this change. And with schools facing budget cuts, the safety patrol is needed now more that ever, education officials tell us. Teachers say that it provides a cost effective way to keep children safe around congested drop-off areas at the same time that it teaches leadership and responsibility. In northern California, Nevada and Utah, the AAA safety patrol program has grown by more than 20% over the past two years. 555 elementary schools now participate. If you are interested in starting a patrol at your child’s school, please visit AAA.com/safetypatrol.
Technorati Tags: Accidents, cross walk, driving, Personal Injury, safety patrol, southern utah, st george, st george utah
