r/fuckcars • u/Civil-happiness-2000 • 20h ago
Question/Discussion Does the USA have lower speed limits around schools for pick up and drop off times?
Does the USA have lower speed limits around schools during pick up and drop off times?
E.g. in places like Australia the roads around schools are limited to approx 20mph. In the morning and afternoon.
Is this common in the USA and if not. Why not?
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u/LongSpoke 20h ago
Yes. As backwards as we can be at times, even the US has what we call School Zone speed restrictions. Usually in effect between the hours of 7-9am and 2-4pm
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u/pingveno 20h ago
Here in Oregon it is based on time and the presense of children. I guess that only applies to groups of children, so just a kid on the sidewalk with their parents isn't going to require everyone to slow down.
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u/PremordialQuasar 13h ago
In most cities, the traffic is so congested around school zones when parents are picking up kids that you're unlikely to go more than 25mph anyways.
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u/hamoc10 15h ago
Yeah, so whenever you’re potentially driving near a bunch of children, you’re expected to take your eyes off the road, check the time, and do mental arithmetic to figure out if you need to slow down for a second or not.
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u/repkjund 20h ago
Yes and surprisingly people obey it and slow down, some stroads that normally have 45mph limit go down to 15mph
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u/sanfran54 19h ago
I've lived in 3 states and all have flashing sings to lower the speed to 20mph at load/unload times. Cops often scope out the school zones for easy prey ;-)
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u/Civil-happiness-2000 17h ago
That's good to hear!
I wonder why that woman in Texas didn't survive getting hit out front of her childrens school 😭
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u/MasteringTheFlames 19h ago
My city does. Most of the signs are phrased as "speed limit 20 mph when children present." So I suppose technically even if it's summer break but some neighborhood kids are hanging out on the playground, it might be enforceable.
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u/Civil-happiness-2000 17h ago
Shouldn't it just be all the time.... children present is a bit subjective
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u/ExternalSeat 20h ago
Yes. Usually school zones in the US are 20 mph or 15 mph during those times while the surrounding roads are 25-35 mph normally
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u/Altruistic-Resort-56 20h ago
Lots of school zones, on a state highway on my commute there about 1/4 of a mile that drops from 35 to 25 during school times. It's after the buses get there so maybe specific to walkers or car riders.
Probably riders because there's no decent sidewalks anywhere close
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u/Majestic_Bet_1428 20h ago
Many jurisdictions are moving to 30km/hr or 20miles per hour in ALL residential areas.
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u/aluminumpork 20h ago
My US city refuses school zones in most cases.
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u/Civil-happiness-2000 17h ago
WOW...why? 😮
Do they hate children?
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u/aluminumpork 17h ago
Not sure, we’ve just got a few bad egg traffic engineers that fight everything. Progress is being made, but it’s slow and tough.
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u/Civil-happiness-2000 17h ago
Wow the traffic engineers Are pushing it? WTF?
What city is this?
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u/CanEnvironmental4252 10h ago
Traffic engineers care about one thing: Level of service, which means how smooth and fast traffic flows.
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u/Civil-happiness-2000 9h ago
Level of service! It's such a bullshit concept.
Made up stats to boot.
The world has much to thank from the USA....this is not one of those things
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u/kuemmel234 🇩🇪 🚍 18h ago
Even though I'm not in the US, I think it's interesting to note that in my country they do have 30kph zones and play streets (so only walking speed is allowed), but not for the parents.
The kids (even the first years) are expected to walk or take public transport.
In fact, that so many parents come to drop off their kids to school is a rather recent thing and thought of as a security hazard. Schools often don't even have parking lots (or only a few for the teachers) or drop off zones.
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u/Primary-Can2178 17h ago
Yes. Some zones are usually only enforced from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ish) during school days while other zones are active all the time, even overnight. People usually do obey it. I feel that among all things, ticketing is quite strict for school zone streets and construction zones on highways.
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u/OnlyAdd8503 20h ago
They do around where I live. Sometimes they even enforce it.