The children have made it to the sidewalk. Traffic is waiting. The crossing guard is still standing in the road with the stop sign raised. Can drivers go? According to the Town of Whitby, the answer is no.
The Town has published a new explainer, part of its "Facts. Not Fiction" series, laying out what Ontario's rules actually require of drivers at school crossings — and correcting one of the most common mistakes made at them.
The rule, the Town says, is straightforward: a crossing isn't finished just because the last child has reached the other side. Under Ontario law, drivers must remain stopped until everyone — including the crossing guard — has cleared the roadway and it is safe to proceed.
How Whitby's crossings work
Whitby's crossing guards wear fluorescent safety vests marked "GUARD" on the back, and carry a whistle and a stop sign. When the stop sign is displayed, drivers approaching the crossing must stop before reaching it and stay stopped until all pedestrians and the guard have left the road.
Guards in Whitby use a three-whistle system, with each whistle marking a different stage of the crossing — from preparing to enter the roadway, to guiding pedestrians across, to completing the crossing. The Town has posted a video explaining how the system works.
Rather than guessing when a crossing is over, the Town advises drivers to watch the guard's actions and the stop sign, and to wait until both the guard and all pedestrians are safely off the road before moving.
Reporting dangerous driving
Residents who witness dangerous or aggressive driving near school crossings can file a report through the Durham Regional Police Service Road Watch Program, which serves communities across Durham Region. The Town suggests recording the date, time, location, a description of the vehicle and what happened.
Becoming a crossing guard
The Town also noted that it recruits crossing guards as positions become available, and encourages residents interested in the role to visit its Crossing Guard Recruitment page for details on the job and how to apply.
For drivers, the message from the Town of Whitby is a simple one: patience at the crossing, all the way until the guard steps off the road.
