A crossing guard in Meriden, Connecticut was struck and killed by a driver Wednesday morning on Broad Street, just steps from Israel Putnam Elementary School. The crash happened just before 9 a.m., and the driver remained at the scene. No children were in the crosswalk at the time, according to Mayor Kevin Scarpati. The victim’s name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
The crossing guard’s union released a statement describing him as a brother and a dedicated public servant who went to work to protect children and should have come home to his own family. Police and Connecticut’s Occupational Health and Safety Division are investigating the circumstances of the crash, and Meriden Kids Walk Safe is organizing a vigil for the community.
The story reaches well beyond Connecticut. Every school morning on the Suncoast, crossing guards take positions on busy roads with the same quiet risk, from Sarasota to Bradenton and up through Manatee County. School zone speed limits, crosswalk markings, and driver attention are the things that keep them safe, and all three are habits the rest of us control. Have you talked with the crossing guard at your neighborhood school lately?
