traffic speeding
Am I liable for a school zone speeding ticket in New York State when blinking lights don&#39;t have a notice sign?
<p>Long story short, I have received six citations for speeding in a school zone posted 15 MPH. I received my first citation in the mail two weeks after the event occurred, thus, I racked up six tickets before realizing I was doing so.</p>
<p>The school zone speeding sign looks like the attached image. I apologize for it being blurry, but the sign reads: &quot;School Speed Limit 15: 7AM - 4PM School Days&quot; It is also attached with lights that flash.<a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/wOOgt.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/wOOgtm.jpg" alt="School Speed Limit Sign" /></a></p>
<p>New York State Vehicle Traffic Law (NY Veh &amp; Traf L § 1180 (2014)) states:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>...no person shall drive in excess of  such maximum school speed limits during:</p>
<p>1.) school  days  at  times  indicated on the school zone speed limit
sign, provided, however, that such times shall be between the hours
of seven o'clock A.M. and six o'clock P.M. or alternative times
within such   hours; or</p>
<p>2.)  a period when the beacons attached to the school zone speed limit
sign are flashing and such sign is equipped with a notice that
indicates   that the school zone speed limit is in  effect  when  such
beacons  are   flashing,  provided,  however, that such beacons shall
only flash during   student activities at the school and up to  thirty
minutes  immediately   before   and  up  to  thirty  minutes
immediately  after  such  student   activities.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It seems to me that this sign doesn't fit either criterion. The flashing beacons do not have the attached sign, but the flashing beacons are still there and operating.</p>
<p>I am trying to question whether or not the lights were flashing when I was flashed by the ticketing camera, and I'm wondering if this is a reasonable thing to question based on the law I attached and the image.</p>
<p>Various links to the NYS Laws are <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/vat/title-7/article-30/1180/#:%7E:text=1180.,and%20potential%20hazards%20then%20existing" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> and <a href="http://ypdcrime.com/vt/article30.htm?zoom_highlight=school%20zone" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>.</p>

<p>This clearly meets the first criterion:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>1.) school days at times indicated on the school zone speed limit sign, provided, however, that such times shall be between the hours of seven o'clock A.M. and six o'clock P.M...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The times are clearly listed on the sign and are within the allowed times (assuming the sign isn't blurry in real-lfe of course). Whether the lights were blinking or not is moot.</p>

<p><strong>The lights do not need to be flashing from 7 am - 4 pm</strong></p>
<p>Part 2 says beacons are for &quot;student activities at the school&quot; and implies outside the regular hours, because if it is within the regular hours then part 1 covers it. Say there is a dance or game at 6:30 pm, they can have the public safety authorities activate the lights. You are correct that if you got the ticket outside the posted hours (7a-4p), but when the lights were flashing that you would have a beef- because this particular sign does not have a notice that says speed limit is in effect when the lights are flashing. If it had such notice and the lights were flashing, then you would be out of luck based on part 2.</p>
<p>It is always in effect 7-4 on school days, lights or no lights, based on part 1 and the sign that states the hours (which are within the hours listed in the law). You don't need to memorize the school calendar, just assume it is Monday-Friday but not obvious days like Dec. 25.</p>
