What Do Flashing Lights on School Zone Signs Mean?

Flashing Lights on School Zone Signs

If you drive near school zones, you are probably familiar with the flashing lights that signal that you must slow down. These lights are meant to keep children safe by increasing visibility for pedestrians and vehicles, and by reducing the force of impact in the event of a crash. This is an important aspect of keeping children safe, as they are much more likely to be hit by cars than adults.

Some schools are equipped with flashing beacons, while others just have the standard sign indicating that the school zone speed limit is in effect. While these School Signs are important, they can be confusing, particularly if you are driving through a school zone at times when the flashing lights are not on.

WCNC Charlotte recently had the opportunity to ask Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller about school zone flashing light signs, as they have come into question after being installed at some of our local schools. Sheila answered that while the new flashing lights are a great addition to school safety, drivers should continue to slow down at all times in front of schools regardless of whether they have a flashing beacon or not.

What Do Flashing Lights on School Zone Signs Mean?

In most cases, the flashing beacons are activated during the hour before and after school when there tend to be large numbers of students walking to and from school buildings. However, some schools may have the flashing lights on for other reasons, such as when there are extracurricular activities taking place and parents are dropping off or picking up their children.

If you are pulled over for speeding in a school zone when the lights are not flashing, you will still get a ticket. This is because the law states that you must reduce your speed in school zones when the lights are flashing, regardless of whether or not there are actually children present at the time.

The City of Bend has installed 410 flashing beacons in front of 161 public and private schools. These were funded in part with a $2.4 million federal highway safety improvement grant, with the remainder of the cost coming from City construction costs.

When the lights are on, you must reduce your speed to 20 miles per hour in school zones. This applies to drivers on city streets and on some state roads that run through or near schools.

In some areas, the flashing lights are accompanied by traditional road signs that display the same message. The combination of both is intended to increase driver awareness of the reduced speed limits in school zones and to help drivers be more attentive to children and pedestrians.

Although the flashing lights on school zone signs can be helpful, they are not a substitute for slowing down in school zones at all times. Children are the most vulnerable to being struck by cars, and it is your responsibility as a driver to be alert at all times and to obey all traffic laws.