By JESSA LEWIS
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Knox County students start back next week, and to prepare drivers for the lower speed limits in school zones, the flashing yellow lights are already blinking.
6 News put drivers on Cedar Bluff Road to the test on Wednesday morning with our own radar gun. When the lights are flashing, the speed limit is 20 miles per hour. Where the school zone ends, the limit goes back up to 40.
For the most part, drivers were only exceeding the speed limit by three or four miles per hour.
However, a handful of drivers were going the regular speed limit, and some clocked 38 miles per hour.
"It's good to slow down, to make sure those kids are safe, that everybody has a safe opportunity to get to school," said county Deputy Director of Engineering and Public Works Jim Snowden.
While having the lights on early reminds people to slow down before kids start walking to school, it also gives workers time to adjust for any potential problems that went unnoticed while school was out.
"We think it gives us an opportunity to make sure the clocks are set right so that the school flashers come on and go off at the appropriate time. It gives us an opportunity to make sure the signs are visible and working properly," Snowden explained.
The highest speed 6 News clocked Wednesday was 45 miles per hour. That was right as the yellow lights were turning off, and the speed limit went back up to 40.
6 News put drivers on Cedar Bluff Road to the test with our own radar gun.
When the lights are flashing, the speed limit is 20 miles per hour.
