Lehi crossing guard pleads for drivers to slow down after children are almost hit
Jan 19, 2023, 3:51 PM | Updated: Nov 3, 2023, 4:05 pm
FILE: Crossing guard Megan Sperry helps students across 2100 North in Lehi, a four-lane highway children have to cross to get to school.
LEHI, Utah — Crossing guard Brytan Manges said in she and her students were nearly hit three times in a span of 10 minutes near Eaglecrest Elementary.
“Me and kids had to literally jump out of the way,” Manges said. “We had several instances where there was just a small gap of kids on the sidewalk and someone decided to take that chance and drive through, so they didn’t have to wait 30 more seconds.”
Manges has been a crossing guard for Lehi city for only two months and works both morning and afternoon shifts at 2600 N and 300 W. She said after last week’s incident she posted about the experience on a community Facebook page to remind drivers of the dangers of speeding through a crosswalk.
“I was just frustrated! I want drivers to slow down, and just wait until the crosswalk is clear,” she said. “It’s not really worth it, you can just wait.”
It is a message echoed by the Alpine School District who had a more serious incident in Orem in November.
“In that incident the crossing guard actually threw themselves in front and pushed the student out of the way,” David Stephenson, spokesperson for the Alpine School District said. “They were injured and in the hospital for some time.”
Stephenson said drivers not following the rules in school zones and in crosswalks has been an ongoing issue.
“As the population increases, this is just going to continue to be an issue unless we really all work together,” he said.
