School zones

A school zone refers to a road area near a road traffic network around a school that has a likely presence of (young) pedestrians. In general, school zones have a reduced speed limit during certain hours. Most studies on the road safety impact of school zones used before and after measurements of vehicle speeds in these zones as the safety relevant indicator. There is evidence that a lowered speed limit in a school zone can substantially reduce vehicle speeds, but nevertheless vehicle speeds tend to remain far above the posted speed limit. There is evidence that speeds in school zones may be reduced by the application of speed monitoring displays and fiber-optic signs. The speed-reducing effects of speed monitoring displays have also been found to remain stable at long term. Studies have not consistently demonstrated that flashing beacon signs or pavement marking significantly reduce vehicle speeds in school zones. The presence of specific elements in the physical road environment (sidewalk, crosswalk, pedestrian fencing) may contribute to lower speeds in school zones. The research evidence is not clear on how the length of school zones and number of lanes affect vehicle speeds: opposing results have been found.