Lewis County law enforcement officers have a new focus on their daily patrols, and that’s school zone safety, according to a news release from the county.
State law requires that when children are present in school zones, motorists must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk and limit their speed to a maximum 20 mph.
“We want to make sure that kids coming to school as well as families dropping them off are following the speed limit,” Lewis County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Wallace said in a news release. “In high school zones, we have a lot of new and inexperienced drivers so part of the enforcement is to get those kids to slow down and get to school safely and help them understand how to operate their vehicles safely.”
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission conducted a statewide speeding observation survey, which included an active school zone. Only two of 143 vehicles were traveling within the 20 mph posted limit, according to the release.
The fine for motorists driving faster than the posted 20 mph in a school zone is $237. It is against the law, with a fine of up to $500, to pass a stopped school bus while its red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended.
“My message would be to slow down, follow the speed limit and get where you’re going safely,” Wallace said.
