Photo by Brandi Lamonds.
Q. Why do the lights start blinking to indicate a school zone on Shipyard by Hoggard High School at 7:30 a.m., when the sign indicates that the 35 mph speed is to be obeyed starting at 8 a.m.?
A. A discrepancy between a school zone’s sign and blinking lights could be a result of anything from a change in the school’s start time to a glitch in the lights, said Jessi Booker, an assistant traffic engineer with the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Blinking lights in a school zone are meant to illuminate the corresponding sign that tells drivers when to slow down, Booker said. Both the lights and the sign should indicate to drivers to slow down half an hour before and after school starts and ends, Booker said.
The DOT only checks the lights if they’re alerted of any problems, Booker said. Anyone with concerns about a school zone can call the DOT at 341-2000.
RELATED LINKS:
When school is out, but the sign flashes near schools, do I have to slow to 35 mph?
Why doesn’t the school zone sign on Sanders Road list hours for reduced speed?
Date posted: June 20, 2012
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