Comments on: School Zone Sign Changes

By: Nita Jobb

Nita Jobb — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:33:44 +0000

This law is ambiguous (and therefore unenforceable, if you ask me) for several reasons:
“When children are present” — Present where? Anywhere in the world? That would be all the time then. In the driver’s sight? What if you’re busy watching the traffic close to your vehicle, not gawking all over the sidewalks and side roads for “children.” How are you supposed to know if there are children behind a van, out of your view, but “present” just the same. Is every driver going past a school supposed to know if school is in session or not? What if it’s a school holiday? Are drivers with no children or not familiar with the area expected to know that? And what qualifies as a “child?” What if you spot a person on the sidewalk and you can’t tell how old they are by taking a quick glance at them? Is there some age implied that defines “child?” How is a driver supposed to know the age of a person they see?

And where does the “school zone” end? There is never an “end of school zone – you can start driving like a bat out of hell from here on” sign posted.

These points may sound frivolous, but I think in legal parlance a defendant could make a strong case to beat any citation issued to them based on these ambiguities.

Considering that there are often traffic cops lying in wait in front of schools in morning and early afternoon hours solely for the purpose of issuing citations based on this law, it would behoove drivers to force this issue in the courts.

By: Dakota

Dakota — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:24:55 +0000

i was pulled over for doing 32 in a 15
it was around noon on a friday there was a sign with posted times on it but due to the new poilicy going on around town i glanced at it trying to keep my eyes on the road and i assumed it said “when childern are present”. there were no kids on the street so i continued to do 32 when the regular speed limit was 35. of course i got pulled over and cited a 380 dollar ticket. i have court next week and i dont know if i should plead gulity or not. i admit i was speeding, but had no idea i was speeding. it wasnt until i drove past the school again that i realized the sign had posted times. i think all schools should had flashing lights. we have enough money for it but the government is too busy using it to dig up road four or five times a year.

By: Don

Don — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:57:41 +0000

Have to add:

“1. What time does my local high school, elementary school, middle school, private school open and close??

2. What is the school year for my local high school, elementary school, middle school, private school?”

Should I keep a schedule so I know when and where I have to reduce speeds?

By: Don

Don — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:52:21 +0000

1. What time does my local high school, elementary school, middle school, private school open and close??

2. What is the school year for my local high school, elementary school, middle school, private school.

3. “When children are present” does that include Friday night and Saturday Football games, graduation, parties, etc. What About Sunday Church services?

These are just some of the problems with “When children are present”. My problem is not that we should drive like crazy at times when “When children are not present” but rather the times when a child or two may be in the area and you don’t see them but get pulled over. This “Law” is just too ambiguous. I keep hearing people say “How much clearer can you get?” Well, in my opinion, “When children are present” is about as clear as mud.

By: Confused

Confused — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:30:37 +0000

The first thing that I am confused about is NOT whether or not to slow down while children are present. If a child is trying to cross the road, I slow down/stop, no matter what time of day it is. I am confused as to whether we have to slow down while the children are in school through out the day. I live in an area that has numerous elementary schools, and between recess and whatnot, technically children are always present. I can’t seem to find any definite guidelines to this sign. All I’ve been able to find is a general idea based off of signs that have times on them.
The second thing that confuses me is the problem that everyone is complaining about having to do, which is PAY ATTENTION WHILE YOU’RE DRIVING! Maybe if people would put their cell phones down, stop digging in their glove boxes, or trying to fix their hair and or makeup while they are driving, we wouldn’t have reasons to try to make something like street signs “Idiot Proof”. DMV should set their standards a little higher if, as a society, we have to “Idiot Proof” our streets because they are handing out licenses for something that has the highest death rate in our country.

By: Concerned

Concerned — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:12:57 +0000

When children are present?!?, In order to be present you would have to see the children, and of course it is the unseen children that get hit. Not everybody driving down a street by a school are aware of the operation hours and holidays of the school. (year round or otherwise)

Just forget the required “death to cost ratio” our city planners are so famous for and please post hours on these signs and install flashing traffic lights.

By: BILL M. (Henderson)

BILL M. (Henderson) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:12:14 +0000

Another school zone notation for driver’s consideration, On a divided roadway, it is NOT necassary to for oncoming vehicles to stop for school busses. Albeit a good idea to slow down in case a child crosses but, the routing of busses makes for drop off on the respective sides of busy roads so kids do not cross them.I have had 2 vehicles rear-ended because of drivers stopping and other not stopping and not paying attn.(and this is in LESS than 3 yrs., hello ins. rate hike!!)

By: mary

mary — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:03:12 +0000

“school zone” pamphlet mentioned as being attached, isn’t

By: James

James — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:15:11 +0000

Oh, and another bit of irony I just picked up on, here’s a bit from the 1st paragraph at the top of this page: “Many people used to complain they didn’t like the school zone signs with the times posted. They felt the times were hard to see, and it was too confusing, having to read the times as you drove through.”

Okay, let’s use that logic on our shiny new HOV lane that was just installed on US95 several months ago… it started out as an easy-to-understand HOV lane, right? You can only drive in it if there are at least two people in your vehicle (or you’re on a motorcycle). Simple? Yes. Fool-Proof? Sure. A few months into it, what did they do? They made the HOV lane rules apply during certain times of day and they made nifty little signs that had times posted on them. So the HOV lane is only an HOV lane between…. what do those signs say? 6am to 10am and then 2pm to 7pm Monday through Friday? Do you know how hard those signs are to read when you’re doing 65-75mph?? People were complaining about the difficulty in reading a nice big School Zone sign when they were doing 30mph, now we expect them to read a tiny little HOV sign (with morning AND evening restrictions posted) when they’re doing HIGHWAY SPEEDS?? C’mon!!!

By: James

James — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:04:59 +0000

Yes yes, it’s me. I’m not always popular because I do tend to speak my mind without a mute button, but thanks for the kind words!