To the Editor,

I am shocked and frightened about the lack of respect that Princeton drivers have for school crossing guards and the children of our community.

Every morning I walk my children to school. When we arrive at the intersection of Valley Road and Mount Lucas Road, there is a school crossing guard. She holds a large red Stop Sign in her hand and wears a bright yellow vest over her jacket — you can’t miss her! When my children and I arrive at the corner, she waits for the traffic light to change and then walks to the center of the intersection to stop all traffic so that we can cross safely in both directions. More often than not, a car speeds across the intersection as we are crossing. Not only is this illegal, it is extremely dangerous and selfish, and it shows a total lack of respect for the crossing guard, my children and me.

We as a community put great value on education. Why don’t we put an equally great value on allowing our children to get to school so that they can be educated?

The children who attend our elementary schools range in age from 5- to 11-years-old. Many of these children are too small for a driver to see over the dashboard. This makes it all the more critical that drivers respect the signals of the crossing guards, traffic lights, and marked crosswalks. These conventions are meant to establish a baseline for safety on the roadways for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers alike. It only takes one person to break these rules for another person to get hurt.

If you are really in a rush to get somewhere between 8 and 8:30 a.m. (and 3 to 3:30 p.m.) please take a route far away from the roads that lead to our schools.

LOUISA CLAYTON

Mount Lucas Road