SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Tuesday is Crossing Guard Appreciation Day in Illinois.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker proclaimed the commemoration for the men and women who help young people walk and bike to school safely.

Officials say about 420 pedestrians aged 8 to 14 are injured in vehicle-relate accidents each year. Transportation Secretary Omer Osman says the number would likely be higher without crossing guards.

Crossing guards not only help children traverse streets on their way to school. They serve as visual reminders to motorists that they are entering school zones and should proceed with caution. And they help teach children good pedestrian habits like looking both ways before crossing and walking bikes across streets.