El Paso School Zones Are Operating Again So Be Careful

As kids and families all over El Paso get ready to head back to face-to-face school instruction, you might not have noticed that school zones are also back in operation. Since kids were ordered to stay at home earlier this year, school zones were only being used during hours of breakfast and lunch distribution, but that is all changing now that kids and school staff are trickling back into their buildings.

I was driving down McRae the other day and was surprised when I had to slow down for the school zone at Scotsdale Elementary School and then again on Wedgewood for the school zones near Eastwood High School. I was also surprised at the number of cars that were in the parking lots of both schools. As more kids head back to school, you'll have to remember to slow down and keep an eye out for them as they cross streets because it's been a minute and you know how bad the littles can be with looking both ways before they cross the street.

I asked the El Paso Police Department a few years back about whether or not you could get a ticket in a school zone during the summer or if it wasn't apparently clear if the school was in session. They said:

“If the sign is flashing or the sign is posted, obey the sign. Some of these schools have the signs up because of extra-curricular activities, i.e. band, soccer practice, football practice, etc…"
So it looks like the best thing to do is follow the school zone speed limit no matter what. It's going to keep kids safe and that's reason enough.