LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — When driving past a middle school in the Las Vegas Valley, you may notice a new addition: crossing guards are now officially stationed at middle schools in Clark County during morning and evening hours.
Kari Harlan expressed concerns. "It's just chaotic, there is a lot of conflict between the pedestrians, which are our students, and the drivers."
Speeding in school zones, like at Gunderson Middle School, has been an ongoing problem in the valley. Since the start of the 2023-2024 school year, 106 students have been hit by vehicles, with Gunderson Middle School experiencing the highest number at 14 students hit during this school year alone. Erin Breen, Director of the Road Equity Alliance Program for UNLV, noted, "The county commission allocated in their budget funding so that every middle school in urbanized Clark County has crossing guards."
In February, the Clark County Commissioners unanimously approved funding for crossing guards at all Clark County middle schools. This addition costs the county around $1.8 million per year. Erin Breen emphasized that crossing guards are just one solution to this problem, stating, "What we know from research is that the middle school student is the one that is most often hit, that age that has the most critical and fatal crashes."
Vanessa Aguilar and her mother Norma are supportive of the new measure. Vanessa's daughter attends Tarkanian Middle School, and traffic safety is personal to them. Norma shared, "My daughter, her sister, she was killed 7 years ago in a reckless driving intersection." Vanessa is also actively involved in promoting traffic safety by visiting all the middle schools in a sloth costume to remind drivers to slow down. She expressed hope that this effort will grab drivers' attention and lead to safer driving habits.
They believe that the addition of crossing guards is a step in the right direction. Vanessa said, "The more lives we can save the better, because it is just sad to see the kids lose their lives over reckless drivers."
