Many school-area speed signs say: “20 mph when children are present.” What exactly does this mean? When children are walking to or from school? Or when children are visible on the school playground (e.g., during recess)? Or anytime during normal school hours, whether or not children are visible? Or … what?
— Steve
Lookout Ridge, Washougal
We took your question straight to Clark County’s traffic experts, who took it straight to Washington state law.
The answer is there because confusion used to reign over this very question. (Not like now.) In March 2003 the law was amended to clarify the term.
Here’s what the amended law (WAC 468-95-350) says: “When children are present” means the 20 mph school speed limit is in force when any of the following are true:
n Schoolchildren are in the marked crosswalk.
n Schoolchildren are waiting at the curb or on the shoulder to cross the crosswalk.
n Schoolchildren are anywhere along the roadway (on sidewalks or shoulders) within 300 feet of the crosswalk.
So — you needn’t slow to 20 mph just because you can glimpse kids on the playground or in classrooms, or can’t see them but deduce that they must be there because it’s during normal school hours. You must slow down if children are along the street and anywhere within 300 feet of a marked crosswalk.
And how easy is it to eyeball 300 feet? Think of it this way: 300 feet is 100 yards — the length of an official-sized football field.
That’s pretty long — and pretty easy to miss when you’re driving.
— Scott Hewitt
Got a question about your neighborhood? We’ll get it answered. Send “What’s up with that?” questions to neighbors@columbian.com.
