Crossing Guards

Apopka Crossing Guards

Apopka School Crossing Guards can play a key role in promoting safe driver and pedestrian behaviors at crosswalks near schools. They help children safely cross the street and remind drivers of the presence of pedestrians. A school grossing guard helps children develop the skills to cross streets safely at all times. Apopka School Crossing Guards are paid personnel but have no arrest powers. Training for new school crossing guards is given prior to being assigned to the unit, as well as special uniforms and equipment, which is used to increase visibility. The presence of guards can lead to more parents feeling comfortable about their child walking or bicycling to school.

About the Crossing Guard Program

The Florida School Crossing Guard Training Program (FSCGTP) was established to train and certify local school crossing guard trainers in accordance with the Training Guidelines. Certified trainers in turn train guards for their local agencies. The program’s purpose is to establish school crossing guard guidance and provide standardized training to local agency trainers to ensure school crossing guards throughout the State of Florida understand proper crossing procedures and can recognize and properly handle hazardous situations.

Crossing Guard agencies throughout the state register their staff to attend a training course developed and provided by the FDOT Safety Office. The FDOT trainer-training includes both classroom instruction and practical training.  The program offers statewide, “train-the-trainer” training throughout the year, covering the state equitably.

In 1992, the Florida legislature passed the "Ramon Turnquest School Crossing Guard Act." This law (now incorporated in Section 316.75, F.S.) requires most local governmental entities that administer school crossing guard programs to train their guards according to Florida School Crossing Guard Training Guidelines developed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).