A crossing guard is a trained safety professional or volunteer who manages traffic at busy intersections or school zones to ensure pedestrians, particularly children, can cross streets safely. Using handheld signs and high-visibility gear, they stop vehicle flow to protect students on their way to and from school, acting as a crucial community safety measure.
Crossing guards. Coordinate the flow of pedestrians across selected intersection with the flow of vehicles. Direct and assist students at school crossing locations.
Britannica Dictionary definition of CROSSING GUARD. [count] : a person whose job is to help people (such as schoolchildren) go across busy streets safely.
Did you know that crossing guards in the UK have been called lollipop ladies and lollipop men because their STOP signs look like giant lollies? 🍭 They first appeared in the 1940s, but the famous round signs didn't show up until 1969. This is Bettina, our kids' school lollipop lady. She's an absolute legend!
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $53,293 and as low as $20,725, the majority of Crossing Guard salaries currently range between $30,100 (25th percentile) to $34,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $43,423 annually in California.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $64,394 and as low as $12,006, the majority of School Crossing Guard salaries currently range between $28,400 (25th percentile) to $39,300 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $52,389 annually in Los Angeles.
The act allowed anyone authorised by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and using the correct sign, to stop traffic in order to allow children to cross. Traffic had to stop before reaching the patrol or be fined £5.
Crossing guards are known by a variety of names, the most widely used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia being "lollipop lady/woman/man/person", a reference to the large signs used that resemble lollipops.
Their work helps students, parents, teachers and others navigate intersections near schools. Unfortunately, we still face a crossing guard shortage. There are 17 public schools and four private schools that had a crossing guard last year but do not have one this year.
Crossing Guard Etiquette. DRIVERS: Stop for stop sign and remained stopped until the crossing guard steps onto the sidewalk. This makes sure that a child, unseen to the driver and crossing guard, doesn't run into the crosswalk and get hit. It also allows for the safety of the crossing guard.
Direct or escort pedestrians across streets, stopping traffic, as necessary. Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as street and railroad crossings and construction sites. Monitor traffic flow to locate safe gaps through which pedestrians can cross streets.
They are responsible for the safety of children crossing public streets to attend school. The most important goal is the prevention of vehicle and pedestrian crashes. Crossing guards also help educate students on the importance of bicycle helmets and how to walk safely.
Standard: Adult crossing guards shall wear high-visibility retroreflective safety apparel labeled as ANSI 107-1999 standard performance for Class 2 as described in Section 6E.
A lollipop lady is the term for a person who guards a pedestrian crossing with a stop sign so that pedestrians can cross safely. In America, we would call this person a crossing guard.
In the U.K., a lolly is short for lollipop, a word derived from lolly, meaning tongue in an old British dialect and the word pop, which means all sweet-flavored things. Therefore, a lollipop is a lickable sweet thing.
Lollipop ladies have kept children safe since 1937. Now their future is at risk. Mary Hunt became the nation's first lollipop lady in 1937, and for almost 90 years since then they've been a fixture outside our schools. But council cutbacks are threatening to wipe out what was once an institution for Britain's pupils.
Contrary to some popular motoring myths, it's not against the law to operate a vehicle in your bare feet. However, the risks just aren't worth it. It could affect your ability to drive safely, and if you're pulled over or have an accident, chances are you'll end up with a fine and points on your licence.
The zebra crossing UK laws provide pedestrians with very clear rights, yet pedestrians also have important responsibilities. Once you start crossing, you have the right to cross in front of vehicles, but you can't just step out without looking.
Most are council workers, but some schools pay them themselves now. They're often older or retired folks because they only get contracted for like 10 hours a week.
As of Jan 20, 2026, the average annual pay for a 20 An Hour in California is $65,791 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $31.63 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,265/week or $5,482/month.
