School Zone Safety
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THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN ADULT SCHOOL CROSSING It is important that we drive responsibly, GUARDS whether in a school zone or not. Although For more information about children may be concentrated near a school, Where there is an adult School Zone Safety or every street in every neighborhood at some crossing guard at a other traffic issues time has children and other pedestrians using crosswalk, you have to contact the street and sidewalks. Appropriate driving obey the crossing SCHOOL includes slowing and being prepared to stop guard’s directions. City of Madison Traffic Engineering Division for pedestrians, stopping as directed by While driving or 215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Suite 100 crossing guards, and yielding to pedestrians in bicycling on the street, ZONE PO Box 2986 crosswalks. Whenever possible, children are Stop when directed to encouraged to take the bus or walk to school to Madison, WI 53701-2986 by the crossing reduce congestion and traffic hazards near guard. 608-266-4761 (voice) SAFETY school grounds. Stop no closer than 608-267-1158 (fax) 10 feet from the crossing guard. PARKING NEAR SCHOOLS www.cityofmadison.com/trafficengineering Do not block a crosswalk or intersection. The City Of Madison Traffic Engineering Stay stopped until the pedestrians and the Division frequently receives requests from crossing guard have reached the curb, and parents, neighbors, and school officials City of Madison stay stopped until the crossing guard has concerned about children’s safety near schools. Police Department dropped their stop sign. This is your Traffic signs around school property are placed 211 S. Carroll Street direction to proceed. to direct motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists, Madison, WI 53703 and provide separate spaces for motorists and When walking or bicycling to school, always Non-Emergency Dispatch: (608) 255-2345 buses to drop children off at the school. Police cross with the adult school crossing guard Parking Enforcement Officers do enforce these http://www.cityofmadison.com/police/ when one is present. Student walkers and regulations. bicyclists, and their parents, should remain on the sidewalk until the crossing guard has SPEED KILLS stopped all traffic and gives you a verbal okay A pedestrian hit Pedestrian's Chance of Being Killed to cross. Bicyclists crossing with the adult by a motor if Hit by a Motor Vehicle crossing guard should dismount and walk vehicle traveling (Fatalities Based on Speed of Vehicle) across the street. at 20 mph has only a 10% Although children may be concentrated near chance of being and around schools, children and other killed. At 30 pedestrians can be found on every mph there is a neighborhood street. Watch for children and 45% chance the other pedestrians everywhere. Slow down pedestrian will whenever pedestrians are present to ensure Publication produced by the City of Madison die. At 40 mph their safety. Yield to pedestrians at all Traffic Engineering Division this jumps to crosswalks, whether the crosswalk is marked and Traffic Information Series 85%. Please Police Department or not. slow down whenever pedestrians are present, especially around schools and parks. March 2015 DRIVING NEAR SCHOOLS DRIVING NEAR SCHOOLS DRIVING NEAR SCHOOLS DRIVING NEAR SCHOOLS Warning Signs Speed Limit Stopping, Standing and Parking Stopping, Standing, Parking (cont’d) SCHOOL ADVANCE SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT NO STOPPING State laws prohibit Stopping, Standing, WARNING The speed limit on a street STANDING OR and/or Parking in the following areas all signs are placed in adjacent to a school, and at PARKING and related the time, whether or not there are signs advance of school any school crossing, is set signs are used where it is indicating these restrictions. grounds, and may be by state statute at 15 mph illegal to stop or leave placed in advance of unless posted otherwise. standing any vehicle. In Stopping, Standing or Parking are prohibited crosswalks children use Madison typically posts these areas, you may not Within an intersection. on their way to and from school. These signs school zones and school drop a child off, pick a On a crosswalk. are intended to remind motorists that a school crossings at 20 mph. child up, wait in your car, On a sidewalk or sidewalk area is nearby. You need to watch for children, or park your car. On the roadway side of any parked vehicle slow down and be prepared to stop when This speed limit applies (double parking) children are present, and yield to children whenever children are NO PARKING ON Anywhere else stopping, standing or parking crossing the street at crosswalks. going to or from school, SCHOOL DAYS and is prohibited, limited or restricted by official whenever children are related signs indicate areas traffic signs playing within the sidewalk area or are near where you may stop and SCHOOL CROSSING the school, or at an intersection or mid-block unload passengers, but may Parking is prohibited signs are located at crosswalk marked with a School Crossing sign. not leave your vehicle In a loading zone. crosswalks used by unattended. These signs are Within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, children on their way to This reduced speed limit is also in effect used in areas where parents Within 4 feet of the entrance to an alley or a and from school. These anytime a school crossing guard is in a can drop off or pick up their private road or driveway. crosswalks may be crosswalk signed as a school crossing or is children near schools. In Within 15 feet of a crosswalk. located at an placing or removing cones in the street near a these areas, you may drop Anywhere else parking is prohibited, limited intersection or at a crosswalk signed as a school crossing. your child off or wait to or restricted by official traffic signs. mid-block crossing pick your child up, location. While many schools in Madison have School however you must remain DRIVING NEAR SCHOOLS Speed Limit 20 signs on the busier streets, they with your car. U-Turns Always yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. may only have School Advance Warning signs on an adjacent residential street. The School Remember that not all crosswalks are marked. U-turns created unexpected traffic movements Advance Warning sign identifies an area where A crosswalk is simply the extension of a 10 Minute Parking signs that can confuse children and create additional the school zone speed limit is in effect provided sidewalk across a street at an intersection, are used near schools in congestion in school zones. When dropping children are present, whether or not there is whether or not the crosswalk is marked. areas intended for drivers to children off at school, or picking them up also a school speed limit sign posted. The be able to park for a short afterwards, please continue driving in the speed limit would thus be 15 mph on the street A crosswalk can also exist at a mid-block period of time and turn the direction you are heading. Go around the with just the School Advance Warning sign. location if the crossing is marked or signed. space over to others who block instead of making a u-turn or turning Since many schools are located mid-block, not also need to park for a short around in a driveway. You can get a ticket for FINES HIGHER at corners, there is often a mid-block crosswalk period of time. For making a u-turn at any place where a u−turn Traffic fines for speeding in a in front of the school. example, when dropping off cannot be made safely or without interfering school zone or at a school a student and needing to go inside with the with other traffic. School zones are generally crossing are doubled. student to bring bulky items into the school, locations where it would unsafe to make a u- picking up a sick child during the day, etc. turn. .