For over a century, AAA has been helping schools worldwide by encouraging students to actively participate in promoting safety and security for both themselves and others. Children can learn these values through the AAA Safety Patrol Program.
The AAA Safety Patrol Program is a valuable asset in any elementary school, middle school, junior high or educational program. The fundamental lessons students learn through this program include leadership, communication and a sense of responsibility.
Learn about the long and important history of the AAA Safety Patrol Program and how you can adopt the program into your school to have a lasting impact on students and the community.
A Long History
Since its establishment in 1920, the AAA Safety School Patrol Program's mission has been to encourage the importance of safety and promote safety awareness among students and young people.
The AAA School Safety Patrol began in the U.S., then interest in the program spread internationally to at least 30 other countries, including England, France, Germany and New Zealand. Hundreds of thousands of children serve as school safety patrol officers in the United States alone.
Many influential people in history have participated in this long-standing program. Notable presidents, U.S. Supreme Court justices, Olympic athletes and Nobel Prize winners are safety patrol alumni.
The significance of the AAA Safety Patrol lives on in history through Henry Ford’s artifact collection, including antique armbands and badges worn by past AAA Safety Patrol members. The collection also includes a copy of the sheet music for Lucille Oldham's “Song of the Safety Patrol” from 1937.
The AAA Safety Patrol Program has a long and distinguished history of encouraging young people to participate in their school and community by providing safer pedestrian conditions for their peers. Many past Safety Patrol members have impressive public service and leadership careers. The AAA Safety Patrol Program hopes to continue to help influence students and communities for many more years.
The Role of the School Safety Patrol
The AAA School Safety Patrol program typically counts toward extracurricular activity either before or after school for students interested in promoting traffic safety and direction. Student volunteers from upper elementary, middle and junior high schools are eligible to participate as patrol members.
Patrol members teach their fellow students about traffic safety by guiding the behaviors of their peers and monitoring their surroundings. Patrol members are taught leadership and mentoring skills by acting as models for younger children.
Perspective Safety Patrol members submit a AAA Safety Patrol application, and their teachers and principals will select the candidates they believe best fit these roles. A teacher usually serves as the patrol advisor, and you can also enlist the help of a local law enforcement officer.
With their parents’ or guardians' permission, students become members of their program by taking the AAA Safety Patrol pledge and completing training in public safety. Training can sometimes occur in the late summer, so patrollers are ready once school begins in the fall.
Once trained, patrollers often perform the following duties:
- Bus patrol: Patrolling at bus loading and unloading zones involves keeping students organized as they board the bus. Patrollers may organize lines, keep students away from traffic and check the bus stop to make sure everyone boarded. On the bus, patrol members can be seated at the back, middle and front of the bus to keep an eye on other riders.
- Carpool patrol: Members monitoring carpool zones help guide students from the parking lot to the building. They can also keep students on the crosswalk until their rides have come to a stop.
- Intersection patrol: While student members aren't responsible for stopping vehicles, they can ensure children waiting to cross remain on the sidewalk or curb.
A school can choose to establish a leadership rank so students can earn more responsibilities while learning valuable leadership skills. When a teacher or principal notices the improvements these students have made to their school, they can promote them to an officer position, including a captain, lieutenant or sergeant.
The AAA Safety Patrol Program can play an important role in your school by teaching students responsibility and the importance of safety while lowering the amount of traffic-related accidents in school zones.
How to Form a Patrol
Implementing a successful AAA Safety Patrol Program requires cooperation and teamwork among the school board, administrators, parents and local organizations.
Before school principals institute the AAA School Safety Patrol Program, they must obtain approval from the school superintendent or school board. The school district may have specific safety or program implementation requirements they need to meet before gaining acceptance. This process can take some time before the board approves and introduces the program into the school system.
To gain support in the community and the school system, a principal introducing the program should prepare to explain the objectives and requirements of the program and how it will benefit the school. The school principal can create a visual for students and teachers about the safety changes that will occur inside the school.
After the superintendent or school board approves the school safety registration, the principal will allow teachers to take on the role of patrol advisor. Advisors implement AAA School Safety Patrols within the school daily and meet with other area advisors to exchange best practices.
Before recruiting students to join the program, students need permission from parents or legal guardians to participate in the AAA School Safety Patrol program. Parents and guardians are often proud to give their approval when they understand the program's educational value, community service and character-building aspects.
AAA will provide sponsorship, traffic safety education, awareness presentations, equipment, public outreach and program guidelines.
AAA also encourages your school to work with entities like these to enhance your AAA Safety Patrol Program and garner support from the community:
- Parent-teacher groups
- Law enforcement and law enforcement auxiliaries
- Bus drivers
- Local safety councils
- Service clubs
Safety Patrol Equipment
Identifying a AAA Safety Patrol member by their attire in school is important for keeping students aware of their surroundings and security guidelines. Members of your school's Safety Patrol should wear:
- Official patrol belts
- Badges, which are worn at the chest and attached to the belt's shoulder strap
School districts can also provide additional AAA safety equipment, including caps, flags and ponchos. Many patrol members use walkie-talkies to communicate with each other and the advisor while on duty.
Each patrol member must wear their assigned belt and badge when on duty. A sergeant will make sure patrol members take care of their equipment so students can easily recognize those on patrol. It is the sergeant’s responsibility to keep a daily record of the condition of this school property. AAA Safety Patrol members should wear their belts and badge with pride and handle them with care.
Start Your Own Safety Patrol
The AAA Safety Patrol Program has benefited countless communities worldwide, and yours could be next! Download the Safety Patrol Registration Form from AAA Central Penn to get involved and learn more.
