School crossing assemblies

[J Route Z]

When did the transportation agencies change the school crossing assembly signs to include the "AHEAD" plaques on these signs? I think they are a bit redundant. Do they even increase safety by a lot?

[hotdogPi]

When did the transportation agencies change the school crossing assembly signs to include the "AHEAD" plaques on these signs? I think they are a bit redundant. Do they even increase safety by a lot?

I think that the actual crossing is considered to be where the crosswalk is, so "AHEAD" would appear if it was not at the crosswalk.

[Big John]

Looks like 2003 MUTCD when they also changed the school crossing sign to the school symbol with the arrow lacard.

[PurdueBill]

The pentagonal sign with crosswalk markings included in the symbol was deemed to be too subtly different from the one without, so the one without stayed and now requires plaques of either AHEAD or downward arrow. 

[Brian556]

The problem I have with school signage is that the [school symbol] AHEAD assembly is a dual meaning sign. It can be used to mean "SCHOOL CROSSING AHEAD" or "SCHOOL ZONE AHEAD".

This is stupid and confusing, and should be changed.

[roadman]

Elimination of the crosswalk lines from school and other non-vehicular crossing signs first appeared in the 2000 MUTCD, as did the need for supplemental plates ("ahead" or distance for advance signs, and downward slanted arrow for signs at the crossing).  The only exception was if crosswalk lines were provided at the crossing point, the downward arrow plate was not required.  This exception was subsequently removed from the 2003 MUTCD.

[J Route Z]

Elimination of the crosswalk lines from school and other non-vehicular crossing signs first appeared in the 2000 MUTCD, as did the need for supplemental plates ("ahead" or distance for advance signs, and downward slanted arrow for signs at the crossing).  The only exception was if crosswalk lines were provided at the crossing point, the downward arrow plate was not required.  This exception was subsequently removed from the 2003 MUTCD.

I had a feeling it was in the early 2000s. The down arrow can be helpful, especially at night if a crosswalk is fading.

[DevalDragon]

Is this around the same time they changed the signs from yellow to the new bright lime/yellow colors? Or is that a regional thing?

[jakeroot]

If I was driving along and just saw this...



I would assume that a school zone is just ahead and there may or may not be a crosswalk at some point. The actual entrance to school zones are generally marked by school speed-zone signs.

School zone crosswalks around my area tend to be the above symbol with a downward arrow pointing at the crosswalk, and are signed in advance by the sign above with the "AHEAD" plaque just below the sign.