Driver behavior, crossing guard shortages create challenges for student safety in Billings

BILLINGS, Mont. — For children walking to school, crossing the street can be one of the most dangerous parts of their day.

At Burlington Elementary in Billings, parents and school staff say they’re seeing firsthand the challenges of keeping students safe around busy streets and they’re taking extra steps to get drivers to slow down and pay attention.

Karen Merchant sees those risks every morning.

Merchant came out of retirement this school year to become a crossing guard at Burlington Elementary after bringing her grandchildren to school.

She says drivers distracted by their phones, along with large trucks traveling through the area, make it especially important to watch out for students.

“These kids don’t see the cars. I see the cars. I watch for the cars,” Merchant said. “And these are little kids. They need help.”

But helping students cross safely can put crossing guards themselves at risk.

Burlington Elementary Principal Leah Yasenak says the school’s previous crossing guard, Mr. Joseph, came close to being hit by vehicles multiple times last year.

“Like we tell our students, safety first. We want our community to do that too, to be safe first,” Yasenak said.

The school’s PTA is also working to make drivers more aware of students and pedestrians.

With signs and bright orange cone costumes, parents have been showing up near the school to encourage drivers to slow down in the school zone.

But PTA President Lindsey Gardner says the response has been mixed.

While some drivers wave, honk or give parents a thumbs-up, she says others have yelled at them, made rude gestures or revved their engines in an attempt to intimidate them.

Gardner says those interactions highlight why pedestrian safety needs to be taken seriously by everyone not just the people standing outside the school.

The issue also extends to the availability of crossing guards.

Billings Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Erwin Garcia says the district has 48 crossing guard positions, with about 15 typically vacant.

Garcia says safety concerns and low pay are among the reasons the district has difficulty finding people willing to take on the job.

For Gardner, that makes it even more important that drivers, parents and students all play a role in keeping school zones safe.

“This is not an issue just for drivers who are speeding. It’s not an issue just for Karen, who risks her life literally every day that she decides to cross the street and help get our kids over here safely,” Gardner said. “It’s an issue for parents. It’s an issue for our students.”

She says that means teaching children how to make safe decisions, making sure drivers are paying attention and continuing to push for safer streets.

“I just don’t want it to end with the conversation,” Gardner said. “The squeaky wheel may get the grease, but we’ve just got to make sure that we keep going until we see real change.”

Driver behavior, crossing guard shortages create challenges for student safety in Billings

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