APOLLO BEACH, Fla. — A crossing guard at Apollo Beach Elementary School was transported to the hospital after being struck by a car while helping a student cross the street.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirms the crossing guard was struck in the crosswalk at Dickman Road and Apollo Beach Boulevard the morning of Sept. 13. The crossing guard was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries and the driver was cited for the accident.

Some parents of Apollo Beach Elementary students have been raising concerns for months about the safety of their students commuting to school.

Last week’s incident involving the crossing guard have kicked their fears into overdrive.

Cierra Diaz-Parker says she pulled her 8-year-old daughter from school temporarily over safety concerns. She says over the last year, she’s gotten more and more frustrated with distracted drivers and cars speeding through the school zone.

“You can’t see these kids over your bumper in those big trucks but they don’t slow down,” she said. “They just fly through this area.”

The once rural Apollo Beach community has been growing rapidly. Now, Apollo Beach Boulevard is a common cut through road for semi-trucks traveling from nearby industrial parks.

Diaz-Parker says she’s contacted the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office asking they patrol the school zone during peak hours and ticket drivers speeding through, but she says she hasn’t seen any action taken yet.

Now that the school’s crossing guard was hit, she fears it could be an even worse outcome if it happens again. 

“I feel like getting a ticket for speeding for 30 seconds would probably make people talk to other people,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement about the incident:

“We remind drivers, that school zones are in place to protect students who are walking to and from school. Our deputies enforce those slower speed zones anytime they see a driver speeding and putting the lives of our children at risk. We got lucky with our crossing guard only receiving minor injuries, but we ask that all drivers, even parents who are dropping off their kids, to pay attention to speed limits, traffic signals, and crosswalks. Pedestrians in a crosswalk always have the right of way.”

To report an area that needs tighter vigilance, they ask parents to submit a tip or file a report by calling the HCSO non-emergency line at (813) 247-8200.

You can file a report online here.