Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Metro updated signs in school zones

New school zone signs

Cydney Cappello

Metro police revealed new speed zone signs with the attached “When Children are Present” Wednesday. These signs have already been implemented in Florida, Michigan and Washington.

Metro Police are warning the public about school zone speed limit laws and are educating motorists about modified speed limit signs that have been installed around local schools.

Gone are the flashing lights and stenciling on each sign indicating school hours — replaced instead by reflective paint and the words "when children are present."

Installation of the signs began approximately eight months ago at every school within Metro's jurisdiction, said Capt. Richard Collins of Metro Police said during a Nov. 19 news conference.

The changes help cut costs and Collins said the signs would be more effective without the flashing lights.

"These signs are designed to encourage drivers to automatically slow down when passing a school zone as opposed to only slowing down when the light is flashing," Collins said. "People know they have to slow down when the flashers were on, but their eyes tend to focus on the light and not what's directly in front of them."

The phrase "when children are present" means a half hour before school starts and a half hour after school ends Monday through Friday, Collins said. The school speed limit doesn't apply on weekends or holidays.

Speed limits in school zones vary depending on the level of traffic and size of the street, Collins said. Each school typically has eight speed limit signs surrounding it.

Most high schools and middle schools within Metro's jurisdictions have a 25 mile per hour speed limit while at most elementary schools it is 15 miles per hour.

"If drivers do not know the exact hours when a school is open and they see children on the sidewalk or in the roadways where they could be struck by a car, they need to slow down," Collins said. "That way, kids are going to be safe, people are going to safe and accidents will be minimal."

Jeff O’Brien can be reached at 990-8957 or [email protected].

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy