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Purpose of School Signs
The main objective of installing school related signage is to maximize the safety of
the children arriving to and departing from school. Certain types of traffic control
devices (signs and signals) can assist in meeting that objective..
Sign Placement
A school advance sign, a reduced speed zone sign and a school crosswalk sign typically indicate
designated school crosswalk locations. Reduced speed limit school
zones play a significant role in enhancing the traffic safety of students. They serve to
communicate to approaching drivers of the need to reduce their speed and to remain alert throughout
the length of the school zone. The existing reduce speed limit school signs which define the reduced
speed limit zone are passive in nature, however, it is desirable to supplement these passive devices
with flashing beacons to optimize their effectiveness.
Locations eligible for flashing beacon installation include all designated
school crosswalk locations and all arterial and collector streets adjacent to schools.
Reduced Speed School Zones
The City believes there is a strong relationship between the length of a reduced speed zone for
schools and driver compliance with the posted reduced speed limit. While other factors, such as
the presence of school children, have a degree of influence on the behavior of the driver,
experience has shown that the longer the reduced speed zone, the less likely drivers are to comply
with the reduced speed limit. Data collected on driver speeds at various points in long reduced
speed school zones have shown drivers to be compliant at the beginning of the zone with speeds
gradually increasing until reaching the crosswalk where the speeds once again drop to the reduced
speed limit. Past the crossing location, speeds again climb to the regular, non-reduced speed
limit before the driver reaches the end of the reduced speed zone.
It is the goal of the City to establish reduced speed school zones to provide a safer crossing
area for children going to and from school while also meeting driver expectation. By establishing
zones for pedestrian crossing related activity that limit the length to one which drivers can
recognize and respect, the City believes it will result in greater compliance by the motoring
public.
Purpose of Flashing Beacons
A School Zone Flashing Beacon (sometimes called flashers or flashing lights) is a pair of
yellow lights that is typically installed with a reduced speed limit school zone sign. The
purpose of the flashing beacons is to draw motorists’ attention to the reduced speed limit school
zone sign. In the mid-1990’s, the City of San Antonio began installing school crossing flashing
beacons on the approaches to some school zones. A significant number of 1,200 school zones
throughout the City are currently outfitted with flashing beacons. The City is continuing to
increase the number of school zones that are equipped with flashing beacons through the use of
locally generated revenues as well as federal funds.
Priority for Installation
Crosswalks located at stop signs and traffic signals are preferred locations for students
to cross the road as vehicles are required to stop. Furthermore, crosswalks at traffic
signals are equipped with pedestrian indications that tell
the pedestrian when it is safe to cross. Under this condition children should be educated
and directed to cross when the pedestrian signal displays the WALK symbol. Under these
conditions, the cars that would be crossing the pedestrian’s path are stopped at the red
light. Similarly, where school children cross the street where the motorists encounter a
stop sign, these cars have stopped and consequently provide the best opportunity for
children to cross safely. For this reason, the priorities for installation of school zone
flashing beacons are streets where the school children do not have a stop sign or traffic
signal providing this greater level of safety.
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Purpose of Fluorescent Yellow-Green Signage
Fluorescent yellow-green school signs can also be effective tools for improving driver
awareness of school zones. The purpose of the fluorescent yellow-green signage is to draw
attention to pedestrian activity related to the school in areas where sign clutter is a
problem.
Fluorescent Yellow-Green Facts
Yellow-green signs increase driver awareness by distances up to 40 percent further than
standard yellow colors during daytime, and under nighttime conditions, the new signs can
be detected at distances up to 50 percent greater than conventional signs. Tests
revealed that in areas where yellow-green signs replaced the standard yellow signs, the
number of drivers slowing down increased by 50 to 100 percent.1
Use of Fluorescent Yellow-Green Signs
The City’s policy for installing or replacing fluorescent yellow-green school zone signs:
- Fluorescent yellow-green signs are utilized with all new flashing school zone
installations. As indicated in the City of San Antonio School Flashing Zone Standard
Details, all school zone warning signs are to be manufactured utilizing fluorescent
yellow-green material.
- Fluorescent yellow-green signs are installed at existing school zones when funding is
provided by the City Council or other sources.
- According to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices Section 7B.07, “…when the
fluorescent yellow green background is used, a systematic approach featuring one
background color within a zone or area should be used. The mixing of standard yellow and
fluorescent yellow green backgrounds within a zone or area should be avoided.”2 As a
result, when any school signs within the zone are converted to fluorescent yellow-green,
all associated warning signs within the zone must also be changed.
Motorist Behavior
The school zone flashing beacons and fluorescent yellow-green signs are helpful in
lowering the typical vehicular speed in school zones during the times when most children
are arriving at or departing from school. However, these and other traffic control
devices are only as effective as the drivers’ willingness to cooperate. Consequently,
we urge motorists to comply with the speed limits within school zones.
Parental Responsibility
When motorists fail to obey traffic laws regarding school zone traffic safety, the
potential for a pedestrian accident increases. When a child is struck by a vehicle,
the child may or may not be behaving in a safe manner. Whether the child was right or
not, it is the child who suffers from the accident. Consequently, it is very important
that children follow traffic safety rules as they travel to and from school and that they
watch out for cars. Just as drivers are advised to “Drive Defensively”, children and all
pedestrians should be encouraged to “Walk Defensively.”
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