Local Crossing Guard Competing in ‘World’s Toughest Race’ to Raise Awareness of Epidemic of Speeding in School Zones

Veteran crossing guard ran 67 miles on his 67th birthday, vows to keep running until legislature takes action to protect school children.

By Justin HAGER

As a school crossing guard in La Crescenta, La Cañada, Monrovia, Arcadia and Duarte, John Radich is familiar with the dangers kids face from drivers who speed around schools.

“The number of times I’ve had to protect a young student from a driver speeding through an intersection is too many to count,” he said.

These observations are backed by national studies, which have found that two thirds of drivers exceed the posted speed limit in a school zone during the 30 minutes before and after school. Additionally, according to a report from Safe Kids USA, one of every six drivers in school zones is distracted. This combination is a looming threat to the wellbeing of all children who walk, bike and skateboard to and from school every day. Radich realized something needed to be done.

That was when he heard about Senate Bill 735. Authored by California State Senator Susan Rubio and sponsored by the Los Angeles based nonprofit organization Streets are for Everyone (SAFE), SB 735 would allow local governments to set up automated speed-safety cameras in school zones.

To raise awareness of SB 735, Radich worked with SAFE to organize an event in which he would run 67 miles on his 67th birthday. To connect some of the communities he worked in as a crossing-guard, he chose a route along the historic Route 66 from San Bernardino to the Santa Monica Pier. Along the way he handed out information about SB 735 and SAFE.

“Everyone I talked to during the run wanted safer streets for our kids and believed that SB 735 is a great tool to help achieve this goal,” he said.

Shortly after completing his trek, SB 735 was pulled from the Senate Transportation Committee due to a lack of support. A similar bill moving through the Assembly, AB 550, died in the Assembly Appropriations Committee Suspense File. In response, Radich decided to compete in the Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile race through California’s Death Valley. Billed as the “world’s toughest footrace,” the run features some of the most extreme temperatures and elevation shifts any runner can face and occurs annually in mid-July when temperatures can reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Very few people, even among ultra-marathoners, can finish this grueling race; however, Radich is ready to run it this year to support the fight for SB 735 and safer streets for children. He had qualified for the race last November but had been on the fence about participating.

“I realized that I have the opportunity to use my legs to make the world a better place,” he said. “The California legislature needs to hear the message that in this state risking the lives of our children to save a few minutes is not okay. I may not be able to pass laws or issue tickets myself, but I can run. I’ll keep running until we do what is right to protect our kids. If I can convince even a couple of legislators to support SB 735, then I will have done some good in the world.”

Radich is accepting donations in support of SAFE at https://gofund.me/ab013aa9.