Mother calls for crossing guards in Clairton SD after daughters hit by car

CLAIRTON, Pa. — The mother of two Clairton School District students who were hit by a car in a crosswalk is calling for change, saying the district needs to hire crossing guards.

While the rural school district has walking-only students, with no bus service, no crossing guards are present anywhere within the district.%

%

“I live in Century Townhomes in Clairton, and it's a very far walk for the children. There are no crossing guards, and they have to cross a highway to get here, so I drive my kids,” parent Jazmine Snow said.

Valerie Mozes' two daughters, ages 11 and 15, were hit by a car last Friday morning while they were in a crosswalk directly across from their school.

“(The driver) told my kids that she had a blind spot, but it's a stop sign. How are they in your blind spot when there's a stop sign and my kids are right in the crosswalk, trying to cross the street?” Mozes said.

Her daughters weren't seriously hurt, but they did suffer bruises on their legs. Mozes said what happened to her girls should be the last straw for the district in addressing the need to hire crossing guards, especially after an incident last year in the neighboring district of McKeesport, where a 15-year-old student was hit in a crosswalk and killed.

“I have to go to work, and every morning I leave before them, so I have to wake them up, get them ready and they’ve still got to walk,” Mozes said.

Clairton School District Superintendent Ginny Hunt said there used to be a partnership between the city and the district to pay for crossing guards, but they haven't had such an agreement for at least five years.

Hunt said she decided to address the issue of crossing guards at the next school board meeting because Mozes' daughters were hit last week.

Meanwhile, police are investigating the incident involving Mozes’ daughters.

Mozes said officers found the driver, and she will likely be cited for careless driving.

Cox Media Group