School zones have important regulations for their safety signs. Take care to ensure your signs meet proper MUTCD standards before you set them up.

Iconic school zone signs are among those that absolutely need to be perfect. These yellow-green signs signal drivers to be careful of children and are made to be noticeable in any kind of weather. When placing school zone signs, you must refer to the school zone sign MUTCD regulations to avoid unsafe conditions for children and drivers alike.

Size Regulations

Your signs need to be visible to any drivers passing by, which means there is a standard size that your signs need to meet to correspond with MUTCD regulations. Each sign has a different size requirement, shown in a chart in the 2009 MUTCD. Note that there are three potential sizes for each sign: conventional, minimum, and over-sized. Not all signs will have a minimum size, but those that do can be used on roads where the speed limit is under 30 mph with a low volume of traffic. Over-sized signs must be used on expressways or roads that are four lanes with a speed limit of over 40 mph. On any other standard road, you will use conventional road guidelines.

Visibility

Because there is a standard set in place for how drivers will recognize school zone signs, both color and visibility of these signs are essential. All school zone warning signs require fluorescent yellow-green sheeting to give them the ability to reflect headlights. This gets the driver’s attention and allows them to see these signs at night when it’s dark. School zone signs may also include lights to flash at night or during busy school times, such as when the school day begins or ends. In addition to the color, the lettering and border around the sign must match compliance standards to create the most readable sign possible for a driver passing by.

Ensure Your Signs Are Up to Date

Updates to the MUTCD will happen every so often. This may mean that the standard sign that stands for a part of a school zone might change, or a new one will get added. It could also mean that you have to add placards to your signs for clarifications in some areas. When you need to replace a sign for any reason, whether age or damage, you must have it done within three days. Pay attention to new MUTCD regulations for school zone signs that may get added or altered from current rules. Buying your school zone safety signs from a trusted source like Custom Products will ensure that your signs are always up to current regulation standards so you can avoid imitations or poorly made products.