Arizona has prioritized student safety by establishing low-speed school zones and implementing other rules, such as restricting drivers to pass slower or stopped cars. Currently, state law requires all elementary and middle schools to have a speed limit of 15 miles per hour in their school zones, and each school is responsible for clearly indicating when the speed limit is in effect. If you or your child have been injured by the negligent actions of another driver in an Arizona school zone, you deserve serious compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial damage an accident may cause. ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS can assess, file and secure your claim so you have time for your family. Don`t hesitate – contact us at (623) 877-3600 to schedule your free consultation. You may have noticed a “Drug Free School Zone” sign somewhere near your school. Have you ever wondered what exactly this sign means or where it comes from? School zones are marked areas around schools where children have to cross a road or highway. They are indicated by portable signs indicating that the school is in session. Depending on the county and situation, this signage may consist of: Motorists should be very careful when driving near 15 mph school zone streaks, especially if intersection guards place or remove portable road signs. Border guards are the most vulnerable in these times. Keep in mind, though: kids can ignore crosswalks and choose to cross at any point in a school zone. You have to be extremely careful with sudden pedestrians on the street.
If you run in a school zone and injure or kill a child, the child`s parents can sue you. If you are sued, you may be held liable and compelled to pay damages. You are obligated to drive responsibly when you get behind the wheel – this includes knowing which laws affect you on the road. In particular, you should be especially aware of the laws that protect children on their daily commute to and from school. Knowing you`re slowing down and driving safely near schools is only half the equation — Arizona has a unique set of school zone laws, and if you`re a driver from another state, you may not know them yet. Motorists are not allowed to enter a school crosswalk if there is a pedestrian in any part of the crosswalk. Pay attention to your surroundings as you approach the school crosswalk and be prepared to stop. Drivers can resume the specified speed limit on the road once their vehicle has fully passed the zebra crossing markings. Every year, thousands and thousands of students cross the road too early or leave to meet a friend, and when they do, drivers have only seconds to swerve and brake without hitting them. In order to ensure as few accidents as possible, school zones with low speed limits and extreme penalties for speeding have been created.
Arizona is a leader in providing a system for safe school crossings, and there is important information that motorists should know when driving in schools in our communities. A drug-free school zone is actually much larger than the school. The law states that a drug-free school zone includes the school, the area within 300 feet of the school, and any public property within 1,000 feet of the school. The law even says that a school bus stop or bus is a drug-free school zone! Due to strict state laws, police officers and judges have no leniency if they ignore school zones and cross them. To discourage speeding drivers in school zones, state law requires fines to be twice as high as normal. For example, if you are caught driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, the fine is usually $250. If you are caught driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit in a school zone, the fine automatically doubles and you owe $500. You are not allowed to pass another vehicle in the school zone, even if you are driving at 15 miles per hour. If another vehicle is travelling at a slower speed, you will need to slow down so as not to overtake that vehicle in the school zone. This is important for maintaining peripheral vision when a pedestrian intersects.
In addition, motorists should be cautious at all times when driving in neighbourhoods near schools or railway crossings, especially during the start and end times of the school day. Motorists should also exercise caution near school buses and cannot pass them in either direction when showing their STOP paddle when stopped to pick up or drop off students. School zones have a strict speed limit of 15 miles per hour, and drivers caught at 35 miles per hour are arrested and charged with criminal speeding. Speeding is a third-class offence punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. In addition to jail time and fines, criminal speeding also adds three points to your driving record. Unlike normal roads, where the specified speed limit applies twenty-four hours a day, school zones only apply at certain times of the day. To help drivers recognize when a school zone is in operation, schools should follow these guidelines: Arizona has a unique opportunity to implement slow school zone transitions. The system was first introduced in 1950 with the passage of Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) 28-797. This state law provides for uniform enforcement of traffic control in the 15 mph school zone, which can only be used for elementary and middle schools (kindergarten through eighth grade) in Arizona at authorized crossings that meet certain minimum criteria. If you`ve been charged with speeding in a school zone in Arizona, you face harsh penalties that can take years to resolve. Since the penalties you face are severe, it is advisable to hire an experienced defense attorney to help you. Going back to school and getting back into a routine is easier said than done.
Sometimes the ringing of the school bell can mean that parents are getting the wrong grade when it comes to driving. Special traffic rules apply to school zones in Arizona: school zones are zero tolerance. Elsewhere, you can`t be stopped for minor traffic violations — but in a school zone, it`s never reasonable to break the law. Even if you`re driving at 16 mph in a 15 mph zone, you`ll be stopped and quoted. Also, all traffic fines are doubled in a school zone, so don`t take any chances. A hefty fine or collision with a child can be easily avoided by following the law and driving safely. Unlike white crosswalks, where drivers must “yield and stop if necessary” pedestrians crossing on their half road, ARS 28-797 requires all drivers to stop if someone (including children, adults, or Border Patrol agents) is anywhere on the school`s yellow crosswalk when the handheld signs are on the road. Once all pedestrians have left the yellow crosswalk, drivers can continue. It is the responsibility of every driver to act in a way that keeps our children safe, and failure to do so can have devastating consequences. If your child or minor was injured in an accident, or if someone you love was injured in a school accident, know that you may be entitled to financial compensation for damage to your family.
Counselling with a personal injury lawyer can help you identify what legal options, if any, you may have and how you can get the relief you deserve. The need to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in schools, especially young students, cannot be overstated. As federal, state, and local agencies promote healthy and fit lifestyles by encouraging walking and biking in school, the safety of these children should be our top priority.
