Frequently Asked Questions.

The CAA School Safety Patrol program was established in 1929 just as automobiles started to become more common. Back then, CAA took a serious interest and concern for children’s safety in school zones because of the increasing traffic on the roads. It’s a sentiment CAA still holds dear today. 

Yes. All trained Patrollers are required to wear a lime green reflective vest while on duty. The vest is the Patroller uniform, worn as the top layer of clothing, not only to designate the roles and responsibilities of being a Patroller, but to maintain visibility in school zones.

Students considered for this program must be in grades 5-8 and should be capable of demonstrating responsibility, punctuality, dedication, enthusiasm, self-confidence and leadership.

The CAA School Safety Patrol program has the same risks and liabilities as running any other extra-curricular activities at school. CAA takes the responsibility of protecting children very seriously by continuously auditing the program, updating training materials and working with external organizations such as the Ontario School Boards’ Insurance Exchange (OSBIE), to review and support the program.

As a part of their CAA School Safety Patrol program training, student Patrollers are the traffic safety ambassadors at their school. They role model proper behaviour and are reminded to treat everyone with courtesy and respect. It is explicit in their training sessions that a Patroller’s role does not involve disciplining or arguing with people who choose to ignore direction – instead they’re trained to simply speak to the Patrol Supervisor at the school to resolve any of these challenges.

Modifying the program can cause unnecessary risk to students involved and can affect the program’s integrity. The CAA School Safety Patrol Program has over 90 years of proven experience in road safety and children’s safety in school zones. CAA continuously audits the program and training curriculum to ensure it is up-to-date with current safety standards.

Please visit our How to Start a Program page for more information.

CAA has chosen select police services, busing consortiums and specially trained educators as our exclusive training partners.

To determine that a student is ready to take on their responsibility as a Patroller, they must complete the practical hands-on training session and pass the Patroller exam with a minimum of 75 percent.