School Zone, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Signs
School, pedestrian, and bicycle signs protect road users who are more vulnerable than vehicle occupants. The exam tests sign recognition, when a school-zone speed limit applies, and how pavement markings work with these signs.
Core rules
- School advance signs are five-sided, yellow-green pentagon signs. School speed-limit signs are rectangular regulatory signs, often paired with flashing beacons.
- A school-zone speed limit applies when the beacon is flashing, when the sign states specific hours, or when children are present as indicated by the sign. Slow to the posted limit and watch for children near the roadway.
- Pedestrian crossing signs are yellow diamonds with a walking-person symbol. They warn of a crosswalk; drivers must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
- Bicycle signs warn of bicycle crossings or shared lanes. Bicycles are vehicles in Missouri and have a right to the roadway; do not crowd or pass too closely.
- Pavement markings reinforce these signs: crosswalk lines, stop bars, and bicycle lane symbols. Stop before the stop bar, not on the crosswalk.
Worked example
At 7:45 a.m., a driver approaches a school zone with a flashing beacon and a "SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT 20" sign. Even if no children are visible at that instant, the flashing beacon activates the 20 mph limit. The driver should slow before the sign, scan both sides of the road, and be ready to stop for a crossing guard or child.
Traps
The pentagon school sign is an advance warning, not the speed limit itself. A pedestrian-crossing sign is not a traffic signal; you still must yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Do not park or drive in a marked bicycle lane.