School Zone and Pedestrian Signs
School Zone and Pedestrian Signs
School and pedestrian signs protect the most vulnerable road users. The Guam test checks the fluorescent yellow-green pentagon, school speed zones, crossing guards, and pedestrian right-of-way.
Core rules
- The school sign is a fluorescent yellow-green pentagon with a black symbol of children walking. It warns of a school area; it does not by itself set a speed limit.
- School speed limit signs are white regulatory signs, often with “WHEN FLASHING” or posted hours. The lower limit applies only during those times or when beacons flash.
- Crossing guards have authority to stop traffic; obey their signals.
- Pedestrian crossing signs are fluorescent yellow-green diamonds with a walking person or crosswalk symbol. In crosswalks, yield to pedestrians; do not pass a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian.
- Stop lines and crosswalk markings show where to stop - behind the line, not on the crosswalk.
- Watch for children near schools even outside posted hours; the warning sign remains relevant.
Worked example
You see a pentagon school sign, then a white “SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT 15 WHEN FLASHING” sign whose beacons are off at 4 PM. The pentagon warns of a school area. The white sign’s 15 mph limit applies only when the beacons flash, so the normal posted speed applies at that moment. Children may still be present, so use extra caution. If a crossing guard steps into the roadway and signals you to stop, stop regardless of the beacons.
Traps
Do not treat the pentagon alone as a speed limit. Do not apply a school speed limit outside its posted hours or flashing period. Do not pass a vehicle that has stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Do not stop on the crosswalk; stop behind the stop line. Do not assume the end of a school zone means children are absent.