Every school day, as students make their way to and from school, crossing guards step into busy intersections wearing high-visibility vests and carrying stop paddles. Their presence turns busy streets into safer spaces for children, families, and communities. Often unnoticed, crossing guards play a crucial role in ensuring students get to and from school safely.
The Respect the Vest video series by the NJDOT Safe Routes to School Resource Center reminds us that behind every vest is a person committed to keeping all of us safe.
Crossing guards serve on the front lines of defense for children walking, biking, and rolling to school. They are trained to create safe gaps in traffic, guide students and families across the street, and communicate clearly with everyone around them. Their work requires constant awareness, practiced judgment, and trust that drivers will follow the rules. When motorists speed, ignore signals, or become distracted, that trust and safety is put at risk.
What makes this message especially important is that crossing guards are neighbors, caregivers, and community members who show up every day, often in challenging weather and traffic conditions, to ensure others arrive safely. Their quiet but impactful work is highlighted in the Respect the Vest series, which shows how crossing guards contribute to the safety and well-being of communities.
Video 1: Respect the Vest – The Hand Off
The first video in the series focuses on a moment that may seem routine but carries serious consequences – the “hand off,” when parents hand their children over to the guidance of a crossing guard so they can safely navigate the street. The video emphasizes the importance of listening to and following a crossing guard’s directions. It illustrates how even small distractions or unsafe driving behaviors can disrupt this process and put crossing guards and pedestrians in danger.
Video 2: Respect the Vest – Talking Dog
Through an unexpected “talking dog,” the video highlights everyday driving issues like double parking, dropping kids off in the middle of the street, and distracted driving such as texting behind the wheel. It shows how these common habits can put students and crossing guards at risk.
Video 3: Respect the Vest – The Endgame
The final video delivers a simple but powerful reminder: NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES. It shows how crossing guards stand between moving traffic and children each day, protecting students when they are most vulnerable. The video encourages drivers to slow down, stay alert, and respect the vest.
The Respect the Vest video series reminds us that behind every vest is a person doing their best to protect others. Slowing down and paying attention are small actions that we can take to make a life-saving difference.