Beacon at the end of school zones

[DuskDarf1]

I was on vacation in San Antonio a couple weeks back and noticed that at the ends of school zones a beacon is mounted at the beginning of the school zone for oncoming traffic. Here's a couple examples:

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.6400796,-98.4658655,3a,41.3y,96.54h,102.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slW9A1J3xwjNEOWFdQck7qA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.6633259,-98.4783959,3a,15y,126.02h,96.82t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sL6s6jnMb95PvQWsXIb1soQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

What is the purpose of this beacon?

[tolbs17]

Merge this thread with the one I made here? We don't need a duplicate thread on relatively the same subject.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=29754.0

[Big John]

An police enforcement signal that indicates the flashers are on?

[roadman65]

Florida uses them a lot. Kissimmee has them in almost every school zone.

[roadfro]

This is pretty much standard practice for Nevada school zones. Every school zone flasher I've encountered in the greater Vegas and greater Reno areas has a rear-facing flasher.

I've always assumed the purpose was to have an indication that the school zone was in effect from within the school zone, either for purposes of law enforcement or for drivers that may be entering the school zone from between the flashers (e.g. turning from a side street or emerging from a residential driveway).

[mrsman]

It's almost always for law enforcement.  That is the reason why there is a reverse red at many freeway onramp meters as well.