A proud tradition, the AAA School Safety Patrol program began in the U.S. in 1920 and now includes more than 654,000 Patrollers in 34,500 U.S. schools. Students and Patrol Advisors who give their time and energy to make the AAA School Safety Patrol a success are encouraged and supported by school officials, parent-teacher groups, police departments and AAA clubs.

Do you know an outstanding Patroller or Patrol Advisor? Nominate them today for an award! If selected, the winner’s school will receive a grant up to $2,000 to help enhance their school’s AAA School Safety Patrol Program. Applying for awards is easier and  faster than ever- we’ve gone digital! This year, the Patroller of the Year award and Patrol Advisor of the Year award applications will be accepted via our online submission form. Click on the links below for more details and instructions. Applications are due March 20, 2020 and all winners will be notified in April.

• Patroller of the Year
• Patrol Advisor of the Year
• Lifesaving Medal

Check out a list of last year winners here.

Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for child pedestrians. Excited trick-or-treaters often forget about safety so motorists and parents must be even more alert. Check out AAA’s Halloween tips below to ensure a fun and safe holiday for everyone.  

For Parents/Guardians:

• For younger kids, pin a piece of paper with your child’s name, address and phone number inside your child’s pocket in case you get separated. 
• Plan and discuss the route your trick-or-treaters will follow; instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes.
• Teach children to stop only well-lit houses and to never enter a stranger’s home or garage.
• Instruct children to not eat any candy until they get home.
• Make sure Halloween costumes are flame-retardant, visible with reflective material and will not obstruct vision or movement.  Ensure any props are flexible and blunt-tipped.

For Trick-or-Treaters:

• Carry a flashlight containing fresh batteries, and place it face down in the treat bucket to free up one hand.  Never shine it into the eyes of oncoming drivers.
• Always stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets; if there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic. Remember to look both ways before crossing!
• Stay with a group of people and don’t wander off on your own.
• Tell your parents/guardians where you are going and make sure to get home by a pre-established time. 

For Motorists:

• Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals. Drive at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street. 
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.  In dark costumes, they’ll be harder to see at night. 
• Look for children crossing the street. They may not be paying attention to traffic and cross the street mid-block or between parked cars. 
• Broaden your scanning by looking for children left and right into yards and front porches. 

AAA is an advocate for the safety and security of all road users. To teach even more safety lessons to young ones, check out the AAA School Safety Lesson Plan on our website at AAA.com/SchoolSafety. 

Keeping Your Kids Safe in the Car

To coincide with Child Passenger Safety Week (September 15-21, 2019) we’re excited to announce our latest topic on Car Passenger Safety is now outlined in our new School Safety Lesson Plan. This is a great time for parents and caregivers to have their car seats inspected, and to talk to students about the importance of staying safe while riding in a car.

In this lesson, students will learn how to:

• Stay safe while riding in a car.
• Identify child safety seats for older children.
• Determine the safety seat that’s right for them.

This informative Lesson Plan includes a 5-Step Test to help determine if a child should remain in a booster seat or transition to a seat belt. The activity, which can be completed by a student with the help of an adult, highlights the importance of sitting in a booster seat and riding in the backseat of a car. In this Lesson Plan, you will also find information about seat belts and how to wear them safely.

To make these resources even more accessible to students across our community, every download of the Lesson Plan now comes with a fully translated Spanish version. In addition, if requested on our website, you will also be sent a free gift with resources to assist in teaching the Lesson Plan.

AAA encourages teachers, parents and caregivers to download the updated School Safety Lesson Plan to start instilling safety and leadership values in students today.

Share this free resource with other educators by having them visit this website.

And the winners are…

A special congratulations go to our National Award winners: Deborah Carlino, a School Safety Patrol advisor from Martin Elementary in South San Francisco, won AAA National Patrol Advisor of the Year. Andres Palencia from Manzanita Community School in Oakland is also being recognized by AAA National with the Lifesaving Medal. Andres noticed a child run into a busy intersection and blew his whistle loud enough to get a truck driver’s attention. That driver came to a screeching stop about two feet from the child. His school credits him with preventing a tragedy.

Please join in celebrating these inspirational Patrollers and Patrol Advisors. Thank you for your nomination and we encourage to do so again in next year’s program!