Traffic Calming for School Zone Safety

We know that regulating speeders is a top priority of campus officials when it comes to promoting safety of our children in school zones and pedestrian areas.

But, DID YOU KNOW that just simply posting speed limits in these areas often does little to prompt drivers to adjust or reduce their speeds during school zone hours! The same problem proves true on campuses of many urban colleges and universities. City streets often pass through school campuses, which are of course areas of high pedestrian traffic. Though these streets, like K-12 schools, often have reduced speed limits, compliance with those limits is unfortunately mediocre.

Traffic Safety 101: What everyone should know

Conclusive studies have shown that reduced speeds in pedestrian-heavy traffic is vitally important in decreasing the rate of fatal collisions. These studies show that a significantly increased percentage of pedestrians survive being struck by vehicles traveling at 20 mph than those struck by vehicles traveling only 10 mph faster. As evidenced, alerting drivers to the decreased speed limit during school hours, when children are more likely to be crossing or near roadways, is absolutely essential.

K-12 School Zone Safety

Drivebrite™ dynamic driver feedback signs are an ideal solution for school zone safety challenges, especially when protecting our children in grades K-12.

DriveBrite™ Driver Feedback Signs are:

• Fully programmable, implemented on a fixed schedule or manually through the wireless Bluetooth connection
• Able to be configured to display the reduced speed limit only during hours of high student-pedestrian traffic
• Designed to attract the attention of a speed violator by flashing white strobes & displaying the driver’s current speed
• Equipped with school-hours capabilities, with two separate speed limits, to be displayed at scheduled times.

For example, on a road that has a usual speed limit of 35 mph, the sign will alert drivers exceeding that speed. During school zone enforcement hours, the sign will alert drivers who are exceeding the school speed zone 20 mph limit.

Slowing Down Speeders on University Campuses?

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TraffiCalm Systems looks out for the students at urban universities. Each DriveBrite™ sign is packed with features. With fully programmable schedules, thresholds, and optional alert methods (flashing LED numerals, white strobes, etc), as well as choices in face-plate color and power management systems, Drivebrite™ driver feedback signs are an effective means of encouraging speed limit compliance on campus and surrounding streets. An added benefit of DriveBrite™ signs is their resistance to vandalism, a realistic and practical feature for signs posted in areas of high pedestrian traffic.

Radar feedback signs are the most effective and lasting means of encouraging school speed zone compliance.

DriveBrite ™ feedback signs beat other traffic calming measures, including:

• static signs
• speedbumps
• rumble strips
• and even police patrols!

Several studies have shown that, even a year or more after a dynamic radar sign is installed, increased speed limit compliance is still observed.

Local TraffiCalm Partners will help you learn about effective ways to fund an initiative to implement school zone radar signage. Read case studies of school districts that have seen marked speed compliance improvement, explore funding options, and get in contact with your Local TraffiCalm Partner today!