According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New Jersey has the highest concentration of crossing guard workers in the United States. The high percentage of crossing guards in New Jersey is due to the high number of “walker” friendly neighborhood schools.  State regulations require busing if a student lives more than two miles from elementary school, and 2 1/2 miles for a high school student. This means that students in the state's smaller districts are expected to walk to school.

New Jersey law (Title 40A:9-154) requires adult school crossing guards to meet the following requirements:

• Is a citizen and resident of the state
• Is sound in body and of good health
• Is of good moral character
• Has not been convicted of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude

 

The law also requires a minimum of two hours of classroom training and 20 hours of supervised on-the-job training by an experienced adult school crossing guard or police officer. Guards receive a yearly appointment and must be re-appointed each year. Crossing guards

are required to wear an approved safety vest and a distinctive crossing guard uniform with breast and hat badges with ID number.

The Municipal Excess Liability Joint Insurance Fund (MEL) of New Jersey and the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police have recently produced updated crossing guard training videos and distributed them across the state. The training program includes an instructional DVD, traffic calming recommendations, model press releases for public awareness, and guidelines for crossing guard medical standards. The video documents real life experiences of crossing guards in New Jersey and presents guidelines on how to be a safe crossing guard.  More details about the program and an online version of the video may be found at www.njmel.org.