In a world where private and public transport is vital to get to any place, driving with caution must be a law of life, but when talking about driving near education centers, safety must be reinforced through school traffic signs and other measures.
Driving near school zones can be a danger if driving recklessly. Safeguarding the well-being of students and small children is a task for everyone; to achieve this objective, we should have a correct traffic signage and a good road culture.
Consequently, in this article, we will explain you a bit deeper the school traffic signs: what you should know about them and other tips to increase safety in these areas.
School Traffic Signs: What you should know about them
The school traffic signs are devices specially designed to alert drivers about the nearby presence of schools and different education centers.
Their objective is improve road safety and avoid more accidents occur, as impacts or being run over. These signals are essential for school zones due are places with greater presence of children and pedestrian flow. In short, school traffic signs alert driver of being near school, so driver should be cautious and reduce their speed.
How are the school zone signs?
When referring to caution or warning signs, these must be covered by yellow vinyl to improve visibility so drivers can see it.
Regularly, these vertical signals are placed in diamond or rhombus shape. But depending on their indication, it is their position.
What are the school traffic sign types?
Exist different school traffic sign types and all of them have the same purpose: protect the passage and transit of students, parents, guardians, workers or any pedestrian in the zone. These are:
School Zone Signs
Is the main sign of this set. It is a prevention sign that warns drivers they are near school, and of course the presence of children in the road. The classic yellow color and symbology transforms it into one of the most known universal signals.
Would you like to read a fun fact? In some countries, this signal will modify the symbology soon. We used to see an adult crossing the street with a child, and now will appear a boy and a girl holding hands crossing the street.
Prohibitory Signs
These prohibitory signs have white background, red details and black typography. Their intention is restrict certain actions and in some other places is to restrict speed limits in school surroundings. For example, in Spain, the speed limit in school zones is established in 18 mph; and in other countries as Mexico, the limit is 15 mph. Exist zones where speed can reduce up to 12 mph, we suggest you to check the local traffic regulations due these may vary.
School Bus Vertical Sign
A sign known at international level, a signal that warns about a stop or zone for the school bus. Placed in a reserved space for school bus drivers to park, so any other vehicle can’t park in this zone.
Pedestrian Crossing
This vertical signal informs motorists to be aware of pedestrians crossing. Commonly used with a horizontal sign, in other words, painted on pavement, indicating with parallel lines the passage where people can cross from one sidewalk to other.
Special Road Devices for School Traffic Signs
The above mentioned are the main school traffic signals you should know; however, these aren’t the only tools to your disposition.
These signs can complement with different devices to help to control vehicle transit. Some of them are the stop-go paddles, specially designed to be used for any trained person to direct traffic. These work as a small manual traffic light to indicate to vehicles the moment to stop and go, so students, children and pedestrians can safely cross.
Also exist traffic barriers, reboundable delineator posts which function is control traffic and create temporary pedestrian crossings so people can cross without worries. These last ones can be made of plastic speed humps and bumps, which function works as much as a parking stop or pedestrian crossing. It is noted that, in the case of paddle or school signs, is possible to customize signals to get a better control. In these can be indicated from speed limit, to opening hours and street closure to prohibit vehicle passage before and after school.
