Copying with Heavy Traffic, Visibility and Windy Conditions

If you're concerned about student safety on the road owing to heavy traffic or obstacles that are reducing patrol visibility, talk to you school community officer or road controlling authority. With safety their top priority, they'll work with you to develop a practical solution.

1. Heavy traffic

your school community officer will determine whether the following option is the safest operating procedure for your crossing.

Patrol members must be specifically trained in this method.

If traffic is too heavy to put both STOP signs out at the same time, one option is to stagger the patrol operation. In this approach:

• one patrol member identifies a gap in the traffic flowing in their direction, and extends the STOP sign on their side of the crossing.
• the traffic travelling in the opposite direction is then legally required to stop. Once it has slowed or stopped, the other patrol member extends their STOP sign.
• children start crossing when traffic on both sides of the road has stopped.

2. Visibility issues

If your patrol team could have problems seeing approaching traffic-perhaps because the crossing is near a corner-one option is to add a third person to the team. Your school community officer will determine whether this is necessary as part of your school's training programme.

Located where they have a good view of oncoming traffic, the third person becomes the leader and gives the commands to the other team members. However, there are potential dangers for the third person, so this option will only be used in special circumstances.

If these solutions are impractical or no longer working or your school, contact your road controlling authority or school community officer about alternative solutions. These could include relocating the crossing or installing systems such as traffic lights.

3. Windy conditions

If it's too windy to use the signs safely, school patrols should operate as school wardens instead. This means no signs or any other objects to stop traffic.

Without the signs they no longer have power to stop traffic. They can still raise their arms to stop pedestrians, but not to stop traffic, and tell them when it is safe to cross.

Patrol members must not go off patrol while students are still waiting to cross.