School Zone Speeds - Washington Traffic Safety Commission Report

Keeping our children safe is essential, including ensuring drivers follow the posted speed limits in school zones.

Last fall, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission surveyed driver speeds in school speed zones, and the results were concerning. Data was collected from 130 school zones across Washington State, including zones near Carson, Firgrove/Ballou, Woodland, and Zeiger Elementary; all four school zones had a high percentage of drivers exceeding the speed limit.

The results are concerning:

• More than 55% of Carson Elementary drivers exceeded the posted speed limit, with five drivers traveling over 50 mph.
   
• Near the shared campus of Firgrove Elementary / Ballou Junior High, more than 99% of drivers exceeded the speed limit, and nearly three out of four drivers did not make any speed adjustments during the active school zone period.
   
• Woodland Elementary had more than 75% of drivers exceeding the speed limit, and even with crossing guards and children present, one-third of drivers should have adjusted their speeds below the regular posted speed.
   
• Zeiger Elementary, more than 99% of drivers exceeded the posted speed limit of 20 mph, with six drivers observed traveling over 55 mph.

To address these safety concerns, Pierce County Council passed an ordinance on June 20, 2023, to begin a pilot program of school speed zone cameras at certain schools in the county, including Brouillet and Carson Elementary. Before cameras can be installed, a study of the school speed zone must be conducted, and flashing beacons with signs that read "School Speed Zone When Flashing" must be in place. Brouillet Elementary already has flashing beacons, but Carson Elementary does not, and there currently needs to be funding to install them, such as a voter-approved Capital Levy. It's essential to prioritize the safety of our children and funding for flashing beacons and other safety measures should be a priority for our community.

Read the Washington Traffic Safety Commission reports:

https://wtsc.wa.gov/.../2023/06/1_CarsonEle-Puyallup.pdf

https://wtsc.wa.gov/.../2023/06/5_FirgroveEle-Puyallup.pdf

https://wtsc.wa.gov/.../2023/06/15_WoodlandEle-Puyallup.pdf

https://wtsc.wa.gov/.../2023/06/16_ZeigerEle-Puyallup.pdf

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