| Road signs give messages
to drivers. If the messages are unclear, unnecessary, or
confusing they can cause danger to motorists and others.
Maine municipalities and the Maine Department of Transportation
use the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
as the standard for placing traffic signs and markings to
give clear messages to motorists.
According to the report
"Maintenance Management of Street and Highways Signs" by
the Transportation Research Board, improvements in traffic
signing have the highest benefit-cost ratio of any highway
safety improvement. About 29% of tort liability lawsuits
against highway departments are related to traffic signing.
For these reasons alone, it is worthwhile to install road
signs according to the MUTCD.
Citizens often demand
that the town erect "Children at Play" signs on their street
to reduce the risk of automobile-pedestrian accidents. Selectmen
ask: What does the MUTCD say about "Children at Play" signs?
If we erect a sign on one street, won't we get requests
from other neighborhoods in town to do the same? What's
the town's liability?
The short answer is DO
NOT ERECT "Children at Play" signs. The long answer is a
bit more complicated.
First, the "Children at
Play" sign is unclear and unnecessary. It suggests to the
driver that, if no such sign is present on another street,
children are not playing there, and it is OK to speed or
to be less careful. Another driver might interpret the sign
to mean that children are playing in the road. Always? At
what time of day?
Second, it gives parents
and children a false sense of security. By relying on the
sign, parents might monitor their children less closely
and children might interpret the sign to mean it is acceptable
to play in the street. |
Third, one "Children
at Play" sign leads to a proliferation of signs throughout
the town. Since nearly every block has children living on
it, there would have to be signs on each one. The effect
of too many signs is that they become ineffective. The proliferation
of signs breeds disrespect, not only for the specific signs,
but for all signs.
Fourth, to erect "Children at Play"
signs in response to one request usually generates similar
requests, thereby basing sign placement on politics rather
than on sound traffic engineering judgment.
Fifth, based on numerous studies,
there is no evidence that "Children at Play" signs prevent
injury or decrease the speed of vehicles.
Sixth, because they are confusing
and do not meet specific criteria for good signing, placing
"Children at Play" signs opens the municipality to liability.
Seventh, since all signs need to
be maintained to be effective, the proliferation of unnecessary
signs places an undue burden on maintenance crews. Purchasing,
erecting and keeping these signs in good order is expensive.
For these reasons, the MUTCD discourages
the use of "Children at Play" signs. However, municipalities
can and should post signs for school zones, pedestrian crossings,
and playgrounds. The MUTCD makes specific reference to these
situations. Signing such areas gives clear messages to drivers
about the kind of zone they are entering. "Children at Play"
signs, on the other hand, do not meet a specific criteria.
Adapted from "Vermont
Local Roads News" |
