Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office will be running a special enforcement program in conjunction with students returning to school in Fountain Hills.

Kids will be back in class as of Monday, Aug. 5, and motorists traveling through school zones are being warned to obey the rules of the road or expect to be stopped by a Sheriff’s deputy.

Capt. Joe Rodriquez, commander for the Sheriff’s District 7 based in Fountain Hills, has said a special traffic enforcement detail has been assigned to the community for this first week of school.

“I’m warning you now there will be both marked and unmarked patrol vehicles on the streets,” Rodriquez said. “We will be paying special attention to school zones and the traffic around those areas.”

Rodriquez said there are a couple of things drivers seem not to understand about school zones that he wants to make clear.

While the speed limit in a school zone is 15 miles per hour, he emphasizes that this is the maximum speed allowed, and there will be zero tolerance regarding that.

However, school zones are also “no passing” zones meaning a vehicle can travel no faster than the slowest vehicle traveling through the zone at the same time they are.

“If there is a car traveling 10 miles per hour in the school zone, it is a violation to pass them traveling 15 miles per hour, or any other speed,” Rodriquez said. “This is a safety issue with so many pedestrians around. You may not be able to see in front of the driver next to you if someone enters the street.”

Also, people are often confused about the length or duration of a school zone.

Signs are usually placed on the street about equal distance from a cross walk to set up a school zone. With regard to the speed limit, the school zone begins when the vehicle’s front bumper reaches the sign.

The end of the school zone for vehicles traveling in the same direction is when the rear bumper passes outside the crosswalk. Drivers may begin accelerating at that point, but still use caution with regard to pedestrians.

The speed limit does not apply the entire distance between the signs.

Although it will not be a priority the first week of school, deputies will be on the lookout for drivers violating the rules for school bus stops.

When a school bus stops and the door opens activating its side mounted stop sign and flashing red lights, all traffic in both directions must stop.

This would not apply to vehicles traveling in the opposite direction where there is a raised median, however, if there is a break in the median where the bus stops, vehicles traveling in the opposite direction must also stop.

With school back in session motorists are reminded to use caution around schools and busses and give the kids “a brake.”