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jclalor

What you probably didn’t about school speed limits

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About ten years ago, the pediatric rehab where I worked had a 12 year old boy who recovered from a vegetative state after being hit by a car in front of his school. I never realized how crazy the accompanying lawsuit was.

So the kid was running to a bus, not during school hours and was struck by a car going 32 Mph. The driver claims she was uncertain if she had actually hit anything and drove home. She later called the school and asked if there were any kids hit earlier and only then did she return.

She told police that school was not in session so she was not driving 25mph, but 32 MPH. Police agreed and placed 100% blame on the child and stated the driver was faultless.

The mother made a claim of $50,000, the policy limits of the driver’s insurance company. They promptly denied the claim based on the San Jose PD’s report.

The attorney established that California law states tha a school that does not have a perimeter fence, has a speed limit of 25 Mph when ever children are present, despite school hours. A school with a fence, has a speed limit of 25 MPH only during school hours

What resulted was the largest settlement in Santa Clara history, a $10 million dollar settlement. And what I didn’t know, once an insurance company gives the middle finger on settling, the sky is now the limit on a jury award.

https://www.alexanderlaw.com/blog/10-million-judgment

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Justincblount

I'm not sure if I hit someone, so let me call the school and check. What??



Yeah I mean what the fuck. If you feel something happened but aren't sure what, stop anyway and find out. :S
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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BillyVance

***I'm not sure if I hit someone, so let me call the school and check. What??



Yeah I mean what the fuck. If you feel something happened but aren't sure what, stop anyway and find out. :S

I've driven through places where if I hit someone I would immediately call 911 while driving to the nearest police station. I would not stop. And I'm not a small woman named Tran.

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DanG

Were these places elementary schools?



Driving through an elementary school? That doesn't make any sense.

edit: If you meant driving near a school I can't see how that would lower the chances of getting beaten to death by a mob of people with nothing else to do anyway.

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Bob_Church

******I'm not sure if I hit someone, so let me call the school and check. What??



Yeah I mean what the fuck. If you feel something happened but aren't sure what, stop anyway and find out. :S

I've driven through places where if I hit someone I would immediately call 911 while driving to the nearest police station. I would not stop. And I'm not a small woman named Tran.

It’s not in too bad of a neighborhood.

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jclalor

*********I'm not sure if I hit someone, so let me call the school and check. What??



Yeah I mean what the fuck. If you feel something happened but aren't sure what, stop anyway and find out. :S

I've driven through places where if I hit someone I would immediately call 911 while driving to the nearest police station. I would not stop. And I'm not a small woman named Tran.

It’s not in too bad of a neighborhood.

Really? That does change things. My guess is legally hit and run of course, but the real question will be how much, if any, slack the judge gives her at sentencing for panicking. I wouldn't be making any long term plans if I were her.

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Justincblount

You jump outta planes, but you're scared of hypothetical lynch mobs that don't actually exist. Got it.



Reginald Denny says hey.
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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BillyVance

***You jump outta planes, but you're scared of hypothetical lynch mobs that don't actually exist. Got it.



Reginald Denny says hey.

Well, to be fair, he didn't run anyone over. If he had, he'd likely have been ok.

I seem to recall one incident where a hit and run driver was attacked by a mob. But he was attacked because he was driving way too fast, hit a kid and tried to get away (did a quick search and came up empty).

I don't recall any where the driver wasn't driving like an idiot and got attacked. Doesn't mean it didn't happen, or couldn't happen.

And, in the "you probably didn't know this" category, in WI, school zone speeds are in effect whenever a crossing guard is present. Not just when kids are there. So if the guard is out and the kids haven't been let loose yet, you can still get a ticket.
I have yet to find out if that applies if the guard is there early, sets out the 'mid street signs' but is sitting in his car reading the paper (not uncommon in my town).
"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

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wolfriverjoe

******You jump outta planes, but you're scared of hypothetical lynch mobs that don't actually exist. Got it.



Reginald Denny says hey.

Well, to be fair, he didn't run anyone over. If he had, he'd likely have been ok.

I seem to recall one incident where a hit and run driver was attacked by a mob. But he was attacked because he was driving way too fast, hit a kid and tried to get away (did a quick search and came up empty).

I don't recall any where the driver wasn't driving like an idiot and got attacked. Doesn't mean it didn't happen, or couldn't happen.

And, in the "you probably didn't know this" category, in WI, school zone speeds are in effect whenever a crossing guard is present. Not just when kids are there. So if the guard is out and the kids haven't been let loose yet, you can still get a ticket.
I have yet to find out if that applies if the guard is there early, sets out the 'mid street signs' but is sitting in his car reading the paper (not uncommon in my town).

I just slow way down either way. Kids can be very fast and thinking of many other things. No matter who is at fault I can't imagine living with that.

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