Which of the following describes the appropriate behavior in a school zone during school hours?

• A. Ignore crossing guards if no children are present
• B. Slow down, be alert for children, and obey crossing guards
• C. Speed up to maintain traffic
• D. Sound your horn to warn pedestrians

Answer: (B)

In a school zone during school hours, drivers must be extra careful because children can appear suddenly and unpredictably. The safest behavior is to slow down to the posted school-zone speed, stay alert for kids, and follow the directions of any crossing guards. Crossing guards control pedestrian flow and their signals override normal traffic flow; if they signal you to stop or slow, you must comply. Honking to warn pedestrians isn’t the right approach and can frighten or distract children, and speeding up to “maintain traffic” increases the risk of a collision. Ignoring crossing guards is unsafe and illegal. So the best behavior is to reduce speed, watch for children, and obey crossing-guard signals.