School zones are located in almost every part of the United States to protect pedestrians and children before school, during school, and after school hours; however, many people do not follow the set speed limits of a school zone.  Speeding in a school zone is a dangerous risk to both the person driving the vehicle and children and pedestrians who are going to or leaving school.  Without set speed limits, the driver of a rapidly moving car does not have as much control to quickly stop if a sudden person protrudes in the street, as it would be if the driver is traveling in the range of fifteen to twenty-five miles per hour. As we all know, many young students are not aware of their surroundings, and they can easily be in danger when drivers are not compliant with school zone laws. Many people do not realize the importance of school zones and how school zones are the best way to ensure people’s safety, which is why they do not follow this crucial law.  As a result, accidents tend to occur.

In order to ensure this essential law is adhered to, policemen can be present in school zones to make sure the drivers follow the speed limits, and or traffic enforcement cameras can be set up in school zones.  Policemen can interchange in watching the cars that pass through school zones and fine drivers who do not follow the school zone speed limits. Policemen can be aware of children present, and the police can alert drivers when the need to stop arises, as well.  Traffic enforcement cameras can also be positioned in areas where school zones are located to help with speeding in these areas. Speed cameras reduce traffic crashes and injuries, especially if they would be present in school zones.
 

If policemen are present during times when the school speed limits are enforced, and traffic enforcement cameras are utilized, people will more than likely follow the legal school zone speed limit out of fear of getting fined.  School zone fines tend to be double the cost of normal speeding tickets, and there can be other punishments enforced on the driver in certain circumstances.  An overabundance of fines, specifically those located in school zones, could ultimately result in a driver losing his or her driver’s license.  The increase in the cost of fines is due in large part to the children involved, and young children are less likely to be mindful of their surroundings.  Drivers tend to be even more alert when the presence of police officers exist; therefore, when drivers see a police car, their first instinct is to slow down and follow all of the laws in regards to driving safely and correctly. If there are police cars in school zones, the probability of the cars not following the rules and regulations abundantly decreases.  Alongside having policemen in school zones, traffic enforcement cameras will aid in drivers following the regulations, because the cameras will also end with people who speed getting monstrous fines.  The cameras would serve the same purpose as the policemen being present; however, because cameras are often undetected at first, a driver usually tends to get fined at least once before eventually learning to slow down in the school zone.  Both policemen being present during the hours of school zones and traffic enforcement cameras being installed in these areas are effective ways that can stop this dangerous habit that drivers have of disregarding school zone laws,  and both will hopefully aid in preventing unnecessary accidents from happening due to speeding in these zones in the future.