In California school zones are marked with the sign “Speed limit 15 mph when children are present.”
Does this mean present anywhere on the grounds, as when they are in class? Does it apply to after school hours things like parents’ night? Or when children just come to the school grounds after school hours just to shoot hoops or practice tennis?
A California attorney (estates, wills, and that sort of attorney) asked me, of all people, and we never could decide on the answer.
We have those signs, too (other side of the continent) and I’ve wondered the same dern thing. To me, it seems ridiculous. How do you know they’re present until you see them, at which point you’ve probably already violated the law?
22352(a)(2)(B)
Motorists shall drive at 25 mph when approaching or passing a school with a standard “SCHOOL” warning sign while children are going to and leaving school, including the period of noon recess.
I dunno about California, but here in states’ rights land, each district sets its own hours. Is it the same out there?
If so, how in God’s green earth am I supposed to know when kids will be going to or leaving school? If the school entrance is on a curve, I may not even know what kind of school I’m approaching (which makes a difference in the hours the school lets in and out).
I say, let the city suck it up and pay the extra $250 for the little sign under the big sign that tells you what hours you’re supposed to observe the reduced speed.
And not for the benefit of the drivers, but for the safety of the kids – my kids included.
I don’t think you have to know when they will be going and leaving. The code says “…while children are going to and leaving…” Unless they’re invisible, you’ll see them.
A Mark-I eyeball works for me. Plus, when I live in a town for more than a few weeks, I learn the times of day when schoolkids are likely to be out and about, at least on the routes I normally travel.
Here in Tampa the signs either list the times of day when the special speed limit applies, or there’s a flashing yellow light that goes on at those times.
In Wyoming, it’s 7:30-4 on mon-fri, excepting summer vacation.
This reminded me of another sign that I encountered when I lived in Indiana. In (mostly) residential neighborhoods, there would be a yellow sign stating “Deaf Child”. Do other states have these signs? I haven’t seen any in Wyo.
I think maybe this answers the question but that certainly isn’t what the sign says.
Subsidiary jurisdictions can impose more restrictive speed limits than the state code specifies if they have a traffic survey conducted by a state approved agency, like the CHP or CALTRANS and the survey justifies it.
It’s been a while since I lived in California, but I think the sign means what it says: if you see children around, slow down no matter what time it is, or you risk a fine. I’ve seen similar signs elsewhere that say things like “no right turn on red if pedestrians are present” or “speeding fines doubled when construction workers are present.” I’ve never seen a standard for exactly how close to the roadway someone must be to be classified as “present,” and personally I don’t think there is much need for one: the officer who tickets you makes the initial judgment, and the court (should you contest it) makes the final one, same as they might if you drive recklessly in any number of ways not specifically covered by a posted notice.
Around here, not necessarily, which is why I think they should consistently post the times or add the flashing light (active during hours when the speed applies) – however, those lights are expensive, so it’s not always practical to install them.
I live in an area where hills, curves, and dense trees are the norm. If you don’t know it’s time to slow down, you can be right on top of the school entrance before you’re able to see if kids are on the campus.
For that reason, “Blind Drive” signs are fairly common. I think there are about two dozen of us who actually slow down for them, while the doolie behind us tries to drive up our tailpipes.
I don’t have kids in all grades, and different grades hold different hours around here, so it’s not always the case that a glance at my dashboard clock will tell me if kids will be crossing. So usually I’ll slow down anyway, much to the exasperation of Mr. doolie.
