New Jersey School Zones

New Jersey has hundreds of public and private schools, and surround each educational building, there is a school zone. This zone is set in place to remind drivers that there will be children in the area, and driving with extra caution is necessary. If you’re a New Jersey driver, you’ll probably encounter a New Jersey school zone at some point or another, so make sure that you take some time to learn about state laws regulating these areas.

State Speed Limits

It is common to see posted speed limits of 35 to 65 miles per hour in New Jersey. However, in a school zone, this speed limit is reduced drastically. During a school’s operating hours, when children are clearly visible, and during hours when children are walking to and from school, it is illegal to drive more than 25 miles per hour through the school zone. At other times of the day, limits in this zone may be higher (usually around 35 miles per hour). In some special case, the speed limit might be even lower than 25 miles per hour. The specific speed limit will be posted, so watch road signs carefully.

Fines for Speeding in a School Zone

New Jersey’s school zones are under the watchful eye of the people implementing the Safe Routes to School program. In many case, police officers patrol these areas more readily, especially during school hours, and will give out a New Jersey school zone ticket for even going a few miles over the posted limit.

Fines for your school zone ticket depend on how fast you were going. Although the state does not have a blanket “double fine” rule for speeding in a school zone, many New Jersey school zones are already located in safety corridors where fines are already doubled. In addition, depending on how fast you were going, you’ll receive two to five points on your license for speeding in a school zone.

Important of Child Safety

The start of the Safe Rules to School program wasn’t a fluke. New Jersey is not exactly well known for having safe, polite drivers. In a school zone, aggressive driving could mean the death of an innocent pedestrian. These are high-traffic areas for pedestrians on foot and on bike, so slowing down helps keep them safe.

In addition, New Jersey’s school zones have lower limits because children are so unpredictable. Elementary school children think nothing of running into the street without stopping to chase after a ball and even older children and teens are often distracted by friends and cell phones and are not paying attention. As a New Jersey driver, it is important to refrain from speeding in a school zone so that you have enough time to react to pedestrians.

Remember, the safer New Jersey school zones become, the more often parents will allow their children to walk to school. Walking to school is healthy for children and is also good for the environment. On top of that, it helps to cut down on congestion on the roads near schools. So, by driving more safely, you are actually, in the long run, helping traffic move more smoothly.

School Zone Identifies

Don’t worry – even if you aren’t familiar with where the school zones are in New Jersey, if you encounter one, you’ll have no problem noticing it. School zones in New Jersey are, by law, clearly marked as such. You’ll see reduced speed limit signs, often with flashing lights. You will also probably see crossing guards and signs in crosswalks indicating the school zone. If the New Jersey school zone laws are only in effect during certain hours, that information will be clearly posted.

In short, there is no reason for you to be speeding or otherwise violating traffic laws in school zones in New Jersey. Getting a school zone ticket is no joke – it means you were needlessly putting young lives at risk. If you have to travel through a school zone, leave your house a bit earlier to ensure that you can maintain safe speeds through this area.