What happens to school zones in the summer?

School is out for the summer, but that doesn’t mean drivers can ignore lower speed limits posted in school zones.

While it’s easy to determine if a school zone with flashing lights is in effect, others may not be as clear.

Lewiston’s traffic motorcycle officer Tom Woods said the majority of school zones within the city have signs that state they’re in effect Monday through Friday over a specific timespan, like 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those zones, like the one located on 17th Street by Jenifer Junior High School, are enforced year-round, even during the summer months.

Schools like Jenifer run summer programs and are designated as summer meal sites, lending themselves to a flurry of child activity.

When officers pull people over in the summertime for going faster than the 20 mph speed limit, they sometimes use it as an opportunity to educate the driver. But the decision to issue a ticket is ultimately up to the officer, Woods said.

If there are kids outside of a school, “a reasonable person should be able to make a connection that there is a school zone,” he said. And even if the lights aren’t blinking on the school zone signs, Woods urged drivers to remain cautious.

“The flashing school zones, if the lights are not flashing it’s not enforceable, but that being said, if there are children in the area, we still ask drivers to use discretion and to be watching, because children don’t always watch for them,” he said.

There are several school zones in the city many people overlook, like the one located on the 1800 block of Eighth Street, near the First Church of the Nazarene.

“Lots of people don’t know there is one there,” Woods said.

As of Friday, the Lewiston Police Department had issued 32 school zone citations this year. The fine is $156.50.

“School zone laws are for public safety and for the safety of our children,” Woods said. “That’s our main goal, is to make sure our streets and our children are safe.”

Tomtas may be contacted at jtomtas@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2294. Follow her on Twitter @jtomtas.

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