Car Accidents in School Zones: Legal Responsibilities and Safety Precautions

School zones are areas where drivers must be extra diligent. In these areas, a glance at your phone or rushing to get to work could cause preventable harm to children. Mississippi, like most other states, has specific laws and restrictions affecting drivers in school zones.

When people ignore the law and zip through school zones as they please, accidents often follow. If you or your child have been injured while navigating a school zone, you could be entitled to compensation. Call Reeves & Mestayer at 228-374-5151 to set up a time to talk to our team of car accident attorneys.

Restrictions in School Zones

There are numerous restrictions in place in school zones. These restrictions work together to keep children safe, limit the risk of an accident, and allow drivers to react quickly to a child on the road. Lower speed limits are one of the defining features in Mississippi school zones, often set at 15 or 20 miles per hour. 

It is important to note that these speeds are typically only enforced during specific hours, which allows people the freedom to travel more quickly when school is not in session. Depending on the area, speed limits may be enforced early in the morning, late in the afternoon when school lets out, and at lunchtime. For convenience, many school zones enforce lower speed limits from early in the morning to late in the afternoon.

Signage and Markings

Another defining feature of school zones is the extensive use of signage and road markings. Legislators want to make it impossible for drivers to miss the fact that they are in a school zone. Not only does this ensure that drivers drive safely and watch out for unexpected children, but it also ensures that people do not bring unsafe or illegal substances into school zones. 

Legally, this makes it harder for unsafe drivers—they cannot claim that they did not know they were in a school zone if there were six signs on the road they were on. Some signs that you may find in school zones include:

• School Zone signs, often lit up or flashing to ensure visibility
• Speed Limit signs, often with additional writing to show when the lower speed limit is in effect
• Crosswalk markings indicating where children cross; these areas may also be lit up for visibility

Pedestrians and Crossing Guards

Pedestrians are always the most vulnerable users of the road, but this is even more true in school zones. Usually, drivers have to watch for a mix of children and adults—and in many cases, there are plenty of adults to keep the children safe. In school zones, though, there’s an overwhelming number of children walking and few adults. 

Children may not know the basics of road safety or they may simply forget when they are excited to get to school or go back home. This means that drivers have a major responsibility to watch out for children and be ready to take evasive action if they dart out into the road.

Crossing guards play an important role in keeping little ones safe in school zones. Drivers are legally obligated to follow a crossing guard’s instructions and come to a complete stop. Rolling through an ordered stop or getting too close to an intersection could result in citations. Drivers should not cross through the crosswalk until the pedestrians have finished crossing and the crossing guard has put away their stop sign.

A Driver’s Liability

If a driver exceeds the speed limit, ignores a crossing guard’s instructions, or makes an illegal turn in a school zone, they are likely to be held liable for any accidents they cause. Additionally, citations are often more expensive in school areas in order to discourage unsafe driving. Drivers must follow the rules of school zone driving, driving around school buses, and posted speed limits to avoid accidents.

Call Reeves & Mestayer for Help with Your School Zone Accident Claim

School zone accidents can cause significant trauma in children. If your child has been hurt by a reckless driver, choose the team at Reeves & Mestayer for your claim. Reach out to our team online or call us at 228-374-5151 to schedule a consultation. We’re here to help you fight for compensation.