Saving lives could be easier than ever if schools required cross guards to protect students as they walk across the busy streets. Students risk their lives everyday not knowing if it is safe to cross the street. Although there are signs outside of schools instructing drivers to slow down for pedestrians, many cars still speed down the streets. Students should feel safe around their own school’s environment. Some students stand for periods of time on the streets ready to cross, but cars continue driving and prevent them from walking across. No parent should have to worry if their child is crossing the street carefully or not. Students who ride their bikes to and from school have a harder time trying to figure out when he or she could cross the street or not. The act of getting on the bike and pedaling before the car passes is a difficult task to do especially when crossing a busy street, such as the one in front of school. In addition, being handicapped when trying to cross the street is a problem that many students have trouble with as well. It is not only difficult to cross the roads without the crossguard, but being handicapped makes this task even harder. The handicapped have a more difficult time because they would have to not only carry their books but also cross the street in crutches or a wheelchair. Being in a wheelchair, for instance, may look as if one is not there since the person is lower and not in sight of the driver, resulting in the driver to keep going. Having a crossguard for these busy streets can help save students’ lives and feel safe. 

The faculty and volunteers could take part in the students’ safety. Teachers could switch shifts for being crossguards on the busiest streets near schools. He or she would wear a neon vest and hold a stop sign to tell the cars when to stop and go. Another way of finding volunteers to be crossguards is asking parents to volunteer. Parents are always willing to help, especially if it includes their daughter’s safety. Parents will do anything for their child’s safety at school rather than having an accident occur that could have easily been avoided. Although standing outside and directing traffic is a lot of work in the morning and after school, it is always good to take precautions. Faculty and parents could take morning shifts directing traffic. In the afternoon, upperclassmen, such as seniors and juniors, could help make sure other students are safe in the afternoon. Most upperclassmen might want to be at school in the morning to see teachers; therefore, they can work in the afternoons. By having other students work, the school could grant them service hours for working crossguard duties. The school faculty, parents, and upperclassmen could help enable the situation of walking across the street safely. 

In conclusion, having crossguards would assure safety to students and their parents. The cross guards make the students not feel rushed to have to run across the street before a car comes. The cross guards would direct traffic to run smoothly and give the students enough time to walk across. For bikers, the cross guard would give the biker enough time to get on the bike and pedal to the other side. Some cars ignore the slow down sign and do not see the kids when driving past the school. The cross guards, who wear bright neon vests, would remind the drivers to slow down or stop for pedestrians. Parents would no longer have to worry if their children are safely getting to or leaving school. As a result, having a crossguard would also aid in the problem of being handicapped and crossing the street. They would give the disabled a hand in handling their items, and they could help in giving the person enough time to safely cross the street. As previously said, many accidents or deaths that are caused by careless drivers, who fail to watch for pedestrians, could easily be avoided if cross guards were placed on the busy streets near schools.