Do school zone speed limits apply in summer? What California drivers should know
With summer underway, many students in California are already on vacation — and others are counting down the days until class is out.
Since schools across the Golden State will be mostly empty for the summer, do drivers still need to follow school zone speed limits?
Here’s what the California Highway Patrol said:
What part of the road is considered a school zone in California?
According to California Vehicle Code 40802, a school zone is any area of a road that surrounds a school building and its grounds.
This includes the area of the road that approaches or passes the school and is not separated by a fence or other barrier.
To alert drivers, the vehicle code requires a posted sign marking the school zone.
This sign often includes the legal speed limit and the words “when children are present.”
What is the speed limit in a school zone?
The California Department of Motor Vehicles states that drivers must slow to 25 mph within 500 feet of a school zone when children are present.
In some areas, posted signs might require drivers to reduce their speed even further to 15 mph, depending on local regulations.
When is the school zone speed limit enforced?
These speed limits are enforced when children are on school grounds — whether they’re arriving, leaving or outside during school hours, the vehicle code says.
Officer Thomas Olsen, a Modesto-area spokesman for California Highway Patrol, previously told The Sacramento Bee that children are determined to be “present” whenever they are on the side of the school’s fence or barrier closest to the road.
This would include drop-off and pick-up times, Olsen said.
“If the roadway is engineered to have a speed limit of 30 mph, then the motorist would have to lower their speed to 25 if children are present,” Olsen wrote in an email to The Bee.
When children are not physically present in the school zone but still on school grounds, Olsen said drivers must still go at a “safe” speed.
“If it’s 10 a.m. and children are corralled in a fenced area during recess, then motorist may go (the regular speed limit if it’s) safe to do so,” Olsen wrote.
Though school hours in California might range from about 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Olsen said drivers should still be cautious when passing by a school zone because after-school programs can last until 6 p.m.
“It is always best practice to lower your speed when near school zones and exercise a high visual horizon,” Olsen said, “looking down the road for potential hazards.”
Do school zone speed limits apply during summer vacation?
Drivers may return to the regular posted speed limit — which is often 25 mph — when no children are present in the school zone, Olsen said.
However, if a school is hosting summer programs or classes, the reduced speed limit still applies whenever children are on the grounds or near the roadway.
Can I get a ticket for not following school zone speed limit?
When children are considered present, California law states the drivers must follow the posted school zone speed limit.
Any driver caught going faster than that speed limit could be issued a speeding ticket.
Fines range from $35 to more than $500, not including additional court costs and assessments, according to Shouse California Law Group.
Along with speeding fines, a ticket could also lead to one so-called “negligent operator” point being added to your California driver’s record.
This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Do school zone speed limits apply in summer? What California drivers should know."
