School Zones—When Should You Slow or Stop?

School Zones—When Should You Slow or Stop?

When you have as many school zones as you do in Henderson, it’s hard to know exactly how to handle each one with kids out of school either for social distancing or because of the summer should you still honor school zone speed limits?

School zones aren’t guidelines, they are something that you must follow under certain timeframes, and when students are present. So what can you do now to prepare for a car accident in a school zone later? The best thing to do is to read up on school zone laws and safety procedures so that you can go through safely.

When Are School Zones, Safety Limits Imposed?

It is tough to know when exactly you need to follow a school limit, but then there’s the question of what the limit is! Yes, in Clark County, some school zones are 15 mph, while others are 25 mph. Some lights are yellow, and others flash green. What does it mean?

Don’t worry. We understand that school zones are confusing, and we’re here to help. Henderson has a combination of newer and older signs and light systems. Newer signs should clearly reflect whether the speed limit is in effect when lights are flashing, or when children are present. In the event that you have the sign when children are present, that means 30 minutes before and after school hours.

The lights can be slightly greener, or a yellow-green, when they are newer. Recent changes to the lights have made it so that the yellow-green, which is more visible, is used rather than outright yellow lights. Additionally, these lights are available everywhere that the road is usually marked for an over 35 mph speed limit zone.

Basically, if there is the chance that school is in session, slow down. Otherwise, maintain your normal speed. It is certainly easier to make this decision where the city has flashers. However, you can’t always rely on lights for clues about what to do. If you’re in an area that doesn’t have lights, then it’s best to be cautious and honor the lower speed limit. Keep in mind that the flashers are always present when there are over 35 mph speed limits, so dropping from 35 to 25 is not disruptive to traffic.

What Should You Do After An Accident In A School Zone?

If there are children present, then contact the Henderson Police Department. They may help with a speedier clean up than any other time that there’s a crash. If there are injuries, then they will likely respond immediately as part of an effort to ensure children don’t see any type of carnage.

When there are no children present, you don’t really have to worry about much. You can pull over, exchange information, and then file a police report about the crash later. What’s important to consider here is how the children at the school might be affected. If the crash included a child or affected a child, call Henderson Police Department for emergency services immediately.

How Can You Handle Or Help When You Witness An Accident In The School Zone Involving A Pedestrian Or A Child?

If you are involved or have witnessed a crash involving a child, then pull off the road immediately. Contact for emergency medical services; unfortunately, children walking to school are at extremely high risk of pedestrian injury. They are generally smaller and harder to see. Additionally, on streets that have higher speed limits, there’s the risk that the driver did not see the flashers to slow down.

There are marked crosswalks and crossing areas near schools that should have crossing guards before and after school hours. Make sure that you notify the police of their presence as they could be a key witness in explaining what happened in the wreck.

Contacting Someone That Can Help Call Christian Morris Trial Attorneys Your Local Car Accident Attorney

A car accident in a school zone may seem like it’s even more difficult to resolve. Not only do have restrictions on speed limits, but those restrictions may not apply at all times, and yielding to other vehicles may not apply at all times either. Instead, you’ll need someone who can carefully pick apart exactly what happened before your wreck.

To get all the support you could need, contact Christian Morris Trial Attorneys of Henderson NV. Our Law Offices are filled with personal injury lawyers who are skilled and experienced in handling a wide variety of accident situations. No matter what time or area, if you experienced injuries as the victim, you deserve fair compensation.