TEACHING OUR CHILDREN TO CROSS SAFELY

If You Don't See This - You Don't Cross
(always reminding students to look both ways first, before they cross!)

Why Use A STEFFI ?
The STEFFI Crossing Enhancer

 The STEFFI Crossing Enhancer does exactly what it was created and designed to do... to be “SEEN” by the students we cross in front of our buses on a daily basis. The students we cross struggle to see the “safe to cross hand signal” from their driver through the reflection and glare the windshield burdens. The use of a STEFFI Crosser, enhances that visibility from driver to student significantly. It offers a clear and direct visual on the bus drivers crossing intent. The STEFFI’s bright yellow color with a reflective arrow through the center will reflect light that increases the visibility up to 100%. Our special needs students have given a positive response to this item! Introducing The STEFFI Crosser to your students is simple, hold your hand up wearing the STEFFI Crosser to show the students what they are to look for and recite “If you don’t see this, You don’t cross” repeat it. Always remind your students to look both ways before they cross. Let them know they make that final call. The life they save may and will be their own. It’s amazing how effective what a few words and a symbol like the STEFFI Crosser will do to impress the mind to remember on what to wait and look for. The STEFFI Crosser will take part, I firmly believe in eradicating student injury and death from crossing in front of their school buses. It’s in the bus drivers hands to constantly with no rest repeat and remind our students on how to stay safe in and around their school bus. We have a huge responsibility and total dedication on behalf of the lives we pick up and drop off everyday!

Thank You, 

Safe Crossing to You and Yours, 
Victoria Pierce DeCarlo

The STEFFI Crosser & See Me Training arms
Designed and Created by a professional 
NYS School Bus Driver of 24 years.

How The STEFFI came to be

                                                                                      THE STEFFI CROSSER  

   The STEFFI Crosser started at my place of employment here at the Lake Shore Central School District in Angola, N.Y. Which is located about 19 miles south of our great city Buffalo, New York. We are near the shores of Lake Erie. Our Transportation Dept. has 65 plus drivers. We are a family of drivers that know each other by first and last names. We even know each others kids and grand kids names.
   We have a committed "School Bus Safety Team". This team of drivers visit all the elementary schools in our district each Fall and speak to audiences filled with the students about school bus safety and bring them out to the buses to explain and demonstrate the emergency exits and procedures. This is huge. This has not only been beneficial it has been successful. This can be seen by the students actions boarding and exiting our school buses. The powerful point here is.... "Actions speak louder than words".
   The man that is 100% supportive in front and behind all this is our Transportation Supervisor Mr Perry Oddi. From day one he showed his commitment and dedication and his full support to the safety of students here and to his employees. He is a true professional and a respectful human being to work for to say the least.
   My first visit to his office was an urgent concern of mine. On my school bus route there was a stop of mine where a group of students that I had to cross every morning were struggling to see my hand signal indicating that it was safe to cross. Headlights coming from three directions were making it difficult for all to see each other. This road was called Steffi Drive.
   This road intersected with another road that made the crossing procedure difficult for both students and myself and became a safety issue. Explaining this concern of mine to my supervisor he paused for a moment searching for an answer to help my situation. He suggested if I can do something with the reflective tape that was sewn onto the safety vest I was wearing at the time.
   Well.... needless to say I took the challenge since this was my forte. As for the good Lord blessing me with the ability to create and with sewing skills I ran with it. I then asked for one of our used and retired safety vests, gave it thought and took all things into consideration. We needed an item that can be worn comfortably with a glove on or off in the colder seasons. Design it so it can be worn over a gloved hand (that's where the elastic finger loop and adjustable wrist band come in). If one chooses not to wear gloves while driving like myself, I wear it on the hand with my glove over it and remove my glove before I drive the school bus. The STEFFI offers no obstruction on the palm part of the hand as not to effect your driving abilities. Hot weather was taken into consideration also... Because more of the hand is exposed than not.
   We here at Lake Shore Central Schools had nothing but success with the STEFFI'S ability to be seen through the reflection that a windshield gives to the students and monitors that we cross on a daily basis. We encourage and are more than willing to offer and share this crossing enhancer to all those that have the same safety concerns that we have here.
 
   Thank you, and safe crossing to you and yours....
                 
               Victoria DeCarlo
               Business Development Manager