Crossing guard pleads caution on Wharncliffe Rd. where drivers 'push things to the edge'

London parent Jason Smith says speeding drivers and a history of crashes are the reason he is "not comfortable" letting his young daughter walk to school alone, despite it being just minutes away from their family home.

His 10-year-old has to cross the intersection of Wharncliffe Road and Byron Avenue in South London, where cars and oversized vehicles zip by every morning.

"These last couple of days, I've been fortunate enough to take my daughter to school, but from now on, she'll probably have to walk [alone] and I'm very concerned," Smith said, adding he will be going back to work later this week.

During Thursday morning's walk to school, the pair crossed from the west to the east side of Byron, but had to walk in the middle of the intersection because a car was stopped on the crosswalk. Crossing guard Randy Bugdale was there to guide them.

"Most people drive really well, but the occasional people who don't drive well cause problems for everyone else," Bugdale said.

Road safety is on the minds of many parents and other adults who work with children as students in London return to the classroom this week. Bugdale said the intersection has been hectic since Wednesday.

"In the morning and at night, that's when people get dropped off and picked up. Parents add even more traffic. Then there's also more pedestrians, and everyone's heading to work, so they're kind of impatient," Bugdale said. "You can get drivers trying to push things a little too much to the edge."

Bugdale, who is entering his fourth year as a crossing guard, said he didn't see any accidents last school year, but has been front row for a few close calls.

"People heading northbound on Wharncliffe can't usually see the cars that are turning left because they're on the outside lane, and there's a lot of big commercial vehicles and big pickup trucks [in the inside lane,]" Bugdale explained. "They can't see until they're right on top of each other."

Drivers trying to get through the end of a yellow light, cars stopping on top of crosswalks, and general congestion are other reasons for danger, Bugdale said, adding that he remembers seeing several accidents during his first year as a crossing guard for these reasons.

Smith said he has witnessed several accidents at the intersection in recent years, including one where a car mounted the curb and hit a pole. School bus driver Eric Beer, who also lives in the neighbourhood, remembers the same incident and has heard about many more.

"There are barely any stop lights coming in and out of Wharncliffe, so that causes a lot of problems, and I don't think people know that this is 50 [km/h] going up and down," Beer said. "This is a really good artery for the city, but people are just in too much of a rush all the time and they're not paying attention."

Bugdale said drivers should increase their awareness on the road, especially in congested areas, and double-check their lefts and rights. The city could also consider adding an additional left-turn-only light at the Wharncliffe and Byron intersection to manage traffic, he said.

While Beer advises pedestrians to be cautious crossing the road, it's the responsibility of drivers to watch out for walkers – especially young ones.

"As someone who interacts with 10-year-olds a lot in my job, I don't think 10-year-olds think about it much," Beer said about crossing at the intersection. "Oftentimes, kids get excited or are in their own world, and they forget that rules exist, which is fine because they're kids, and that's why we need to keep an eye on them."

As Smith sends his daughter off to school on her own, he said he is also reminding her to be safe.

"I'm always trying to encourage her to make sure she keeps her head up, make sure the cars are stopped and listen to the crossing guard," Smith said.