Timing of school zone flashing lights leads to concern

Confusion over this weekend’s time change caused for some very concerned parents in Las Cruces. School zone lights at their children’s schools were flashing at the wrong time–when children weren’t crossing the street.

Parents Abc-7 spoke with said flashing school zone lights are sometimes the only warning speeding, distracted drivers drivers will acknowledge.

This week, they weren’t flashing when they’re supposed to.

“It’s important to have the lights on because if not, the speeders go really fast and there’s a lot of kids going through here,” Victor Ascarate, a Clyde Tombaugh Elementary School parent said.

The father said he was alarmed when he saw the school zone lights off, during the busiest time at school.

Depending on location, the signs are managed by the city or the county with a computerized system.

Simple confusion over when to “fall back” led to the problem.

“They thought it started last sunday so they, to make sure they were ready, they preset their flashers to switch so come monday morning, the flashers were coming on,” Nancy Cathey, Director of Operations at Las Cruces Public Schools said.

The lights at at least a dozen county elementary schools flashed incorrectly.

“Dona Ana, Columbia, Vista, then South, Tombaugh, Mesilla, Mesilla Park and then the East Mesa, Sunrise, Cesar Chavez,” Cathey said.

Some parents Abc-7 spoke with were confused, do they obey the speed limit even when lights aren’t flashing?

The county says even though the times aren’t posted on all signs around the school, drivers must always exercise caution when driving in school zones.

“We need the lights for the safety of the kids, that’s why they’re there.”

The district does have crossing guards at all schools at the correct time, but parents want more.

“Definitely we want to get this light fixture, the time the flashers come on, to protect the students, that’s the most important component,” Cathey said.

After Abc-7 brought up the issue, the county dispatched crews to fix all the lights. As of Thursday afternoon, the district says all lights are back to normal and will change correctly, Monday. In addition, the city says it checked and all schools within city limits are operating correctly.