L.H. Tovrea of Marysville asks: “Now that schools are back in session, please review or translate for us exactly what school zone speed signs mean. The most common sign says ‘school zone speed 20 miles per hour,’ and the second sign posted under it says ‘when children are present’ and the third sign posted lower on the post says ‘or when flashing.’ Does this translate to a different speed okayed when children are not present? And what does ‘when children are present’ actually mean? Anytime school is in session? When children are visible on the playground? Or any child walking any time on the sidewalk in or near a school zone area?”

Commander Robb Lamoureux of the Marysville Police Department responds: “The description of the signage as stated by your reader is accurate wording for all school zone signage within the city limits of Marysville. The signage is written in its present form so as to provide guidance to drivers for two distinct scenarios; when lights are flashing and when children are present.

“City traffic engineers have set the flashing lights in school zones to activate during times before and after school that children are walking to and from school based on current bell schedules. If the lights are flashing the school zone is absolutely in effect and drivers should be reducing their speeds to 20 miles per hour.

“The additional warning ‘when children are present’ is meant to keep drivers aware they are in an area of a school and it is very possible that children will also be in the area. On school days during school hours the school zone is in effect even if the lights are not flashing. During hours and days that school is not in session, such as evening hours, weekends or Holidays, it is reasonable to drive the regular posted speed and at the point the driver observes a child within the school zone slow down to the 20 mph school zone limit.

“The purpose of the established school zones, obviously, is child safety. The bottom line is drivers should be very aware of school zone locations and extra alert when travelling through them in order to create the safest areas possible where vehicles and children are in close proximity, such as in the area of the school itself or within the routes of children walking to or from schools.”

And while we’re on the topic…

Sue Grigsby asks: “When signs in school zones state a speed limit ‘when children are present,’ what is the defined age of said children? Technically, someone 40 years old is their parents’ child … but I don’t think they mean someone that old!”

Lamoureux adds: “The question regarding the interpretation of the age of ‘children’ for drivers can be measured by reasonableness. If the person in the zone appears to be a child — for example, is easily recognized as a child based on physical appearance such as height, weight, facial characteristics etc. — then the school zone applies. Older persons are, perhaps, more difficult to judge the age of. High schools have students that are often 18 or 19 years old and would be considered children when they are present in a school zone, especially a school zone in the vicinity of a high school. It is our advice that if you are quite unsure as to whether an individual within a school zone is school age or not, you should probably err on the side of caution and slow down to 20 mph.”

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