Suffolk mother says school crossing is dangerous after near miss with daughter

SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Suffolk woman says the crosswalk to her daughter’s school is rife with danger after the girl was nearly hit by a car this week while walking to Creekside Elementary.

Between 8:45 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. every weekday morning, parents say this intersection of Bennett’s Creek Road at Creekside Elementary becomes a dangerous place.

“I’ve seen cars go into the crosswalk when children are walking across,” Jenny Corsey said. “If children are halfway across, they’ll go behind them. I’ve seen people openly ignore the crossing guard. I’ve seen people cutting off children who are coming this way.”

Surrounded by six neighborhoods, Creekside has more children walking than most others. Corsey’s nine-year-old daughter was nearly hit Wednesday while in the crosswalk.

“And I heard brakes squealing, and I heard screeching and my heart stopped,” Corsey said. “She was really shaken up. I owe her life to that woman right there, Mrs. Banks.”

It’s a terrifying moment for any parent. There is only way into the school, right off this busy four-lane road. Helen Banks has been a crossing guard for 15 years and has seen close calls between cars and children — and a more serious incident.

“One — they were crossing the road over here and the car didn’t stop and it hit him,” Banks said. “It didn’t hurt them, it knocked them down, but they were OK.”

She fears for her own safety sometimes and said the solution is having more of a police presence — in addition to the existing speed camera — and for drivers to get rid of their favorite distraction.

“The phone, that’s the biggest problem,” Banks said. “If they get off their phone, they’ll be OK.”

Suffolk police said they work with the school system to train crossing guards. They also told Corsey that they can’t take action without the license plate of the offender.

“We need a four-way stop,” Corsey said about drivers speeding through the intersection. “She needs more support — if it’s a whistle or a traffic wand or something, but they’re not listening to her.

“I’m tired of having to play human frogger on the sidewalk outside of a school.”

Suffolk police are investigating the incident with Corsey’s daughter and say they will increase their presence in the area next week.