Boston Teacher Uses Tom Brady’s Face To Slow Cars For His Students

A Boston teacher tired of cars zipping too fast through a crosswalk in front of his school tried a novel way to get people to slow down Wednesday: Tom Brady’s face.

Sam Balto, a physical education at Ellis Elementary School in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, attached a photograph of the New England Patriots’ quarterback’s face to a crosswalk sign outside his school Wednesday. Balto had radar tracked the speed of cars in the past and wanted to see if a photo of the four-time Super Bowl champion could get cars to slow down, according to the Boston Globe.

“This is Boston, and Tom Brady is a champion and a leader. And when Tom Brady is getting sacked, [Patriots coach Bill] Belichick makes sure he changes the plays and improves safety for him,” Balto told the Globe. “If the Pats make moves for safety for Brady not to get sacked, I hope this can improve the safety of our students crossing the street.”

The speed limit for the school zone is 20 mph and Balto has clocked people going as fast as 56 mph. Balto said the crosswalk sign had also been hit a number of times.

“Eating my lunch I would sit outside and have it running,” said Balto. “Fifty-six miles an hour in a school zone, on Walnut Avenue, when the 20-mile-an-hour lights are flashing. You know, 30, 46 [miles per hour] — people drive fast.”

Helping Balto with the experiment was Brendan Kearney, a spokesperson for walking advocacy group WalkBoston. The two men told the Globe that the experiment worked, Brady was able to slow people down and brought drivers a smile.

“Did it work? Yes, absolutely,” said Balto. “Also we need a smile, everybody needs to put a smile on their face. Tom Brady is one good-looking guy. If I can get my kids to smile and their parents to smile, that’s a great way to start the day.”