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FARR WEST, Weber County — A crossing guard hoping to raise awareness about bad driver behavior at a busy intersection turned to a body camera and social media to help get his message across.
Larry Antunez said Tuesday he had seen numerous drivers break the law, and he had experienced several close calls at the intersection of 2700 North and 2000 West that made him worry about the potential for an accident involving children at the school crossing.
“This is the zebra stripes — you’ve got to wait for the crossing guard or the pedestrians,” Antunez told KSL-TV. “Every time I’m out here, I’m constantly on the defensive.”
Both Wahlquist Junior High School and Farr West Elementary School are located near that intersection, and Antunez helps numerous school children to cross the roads safely.
“I have kids of my own, so I know how it feels for them to know that their kids are safe,” Antunez said.
Antunez began sharing his close calls on the Farr West Community Facebook page in hopes of raising awareness to the situation.
He also has pointed to accidents.
According to Farr West Mayor Ken Phippen, the city placed a crossing guard at the intersection to make it as safe as possible. He noted both are state roads.
When contacted Tuesday afternoon, UDOT officials expressed interest in hearing about Antunez’s experiences at the intersection.
Antunez said he hoped drivers would pay attention, slow down in the area, and would wait for the crossings to be clear of people before proceeding.
He said he wasn’t worried so much about his safety as he was others’.
“I’m a tough Cuban,” the Air Force veteran said. “Some of that I can deal with. My main concern is the children.”
