Do 'Slow Children At Play' signs provide protection for children?
Do ‘Slow Children At Play’ signs provide protection for children?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no!
On occasion, we receive request for these signs from citizens who are concerned about speeding in residential areas and want these signs installed to provide protection for their children. The concern about residential speeding is very understandable, and we too share that concern. However, these signs are not only ineffective, but also deceptive.
Children playing in a residential area is not uncommon. Drivers recognize this fact and expect the presence of children : therefore, ‘Slow Children At Play’ signs are warning of an obvious condition. Our experience and studies by other agencies have shown that attempts to warn of obvious conditions fail to achieve the desired safety benefits. There is no evidence that suggests that these signs prevent accidents or reduce speeds.
‘Slow Children At Play’ signs are also deceptive for children and give parents a false sense of security. There is an all too common misconception that these signs provide an added degree of protection when motorists, particularly local ones who are used to seeing the signs, actually pay little attention to them. The result can be a dangerous situation where children are allowed to play in the street with the belief that they are safe.
As these signs are not recognized by the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and there are definite problems associated with them, it is our policy not to install ‘Slow Children At Play’ signs.