School zone

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:SchoolZone-SpeedLimitSignAndLight.JPGA school zone refers to a reduced speed limit on a street near a school or near a crosswalk leading to a school. The purpose of these lower limits is to protect student pedestrians or to increase safety of roads that become traffic-congested around school opening and closing hours.

Fines

Fines for speeding in school zones are also usually enhanced, and traffic enforcement often uses lower speed enforcement tolerance.

When Effective

School zone speed limits are often, but not always, only applicable during posted weekday hours near the beginning and ending of school when children are likely to cross roads. In some places, the school zone speed limit is effective at all times when school is in session, plus additional time before and after the school day. Flashing amber lights often indicate when the school zone is effective. When a school zone also has a large playground facility, it may double as a playground zone and the speed limit could be in effect longer - or at all times of day, every day.

School zones typically have speed limits between 15 and 25 mph (25 and 40 km/h).

Criticism

In a review of available research, the Transportation Research Board, part of the United States National Research Council, states, "Studies of the effectiveness of school zone limits ... generally found poor driver compliance ... and no relationship between pedestrian crashes and the [school zone] limits."[1] (page 102)Template:School-stub