Parents often request 'Children at Play' warning signs to urge motorists to drive cautiously. However, traffic studies show that 'Children at Play' warning signs don't reduce vehicle speeds, nor reduce pedestrian accidents.In fact, 'Children at Play' signs can increase the potential for accidents by giving a false sense of protection to children and parents which cannot be guaranteed.
For these reasons, national traffic standards, such as the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), don't recognize such warning signs and discourage their use. Our department doesn't want to encourage children to play within the roadway, which is intended exclusively for the use of vehicles.
Additionally, to maintain consistency we would have to post the signs in so many locations throughout the county that they would cease to command the attention or respect of drivers.