'Lollipop' men and women go hi-tech

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

LONDON (AFP) — First there were speed cameras to catch errant motorists. Now the humble "lollipop" man and woman -- road safety guardians outside schools -- are being used against aggressive drivers.

The volunteers, many of them elderly, who help children cross roads safely by halting traffic, are getting mini cameras attached to the front and back of their lollipop-shaped "Stop. Children" signs in one part of northern England.

Kirklees Council in the county of West Yorkshire hopes the footage can be used as evidence to trap drivers who hurl abuse or ignore the patrol.

Legally, lollipop patrols have the same status as a red traffic light and failure to stop can lead to a 1,000-pound fine or three penalty points on a driving licence.

The BBC reported...