Photo by Samantha Davis Marshall students cross the street after school with a crossing guard outside of Southview Elementary in March 2025.

MARSHALL — With school back in session, it’s even more important for drivers to be aware and pay attention to school zone laws to help ensure the safety of students and pedestrians.

Especially during the morning and afternoon hours, streets surrounding local schools become crowded on a daily basis with students making their way to and from school. Last week, a student from Marshall Public Schools was hit by a vehicle in the crosswalk by Southview Elementary.

The student was transported to receive medical care, and district officials were unable to share any public update or information as of Wednesday, out of respect for the student and family.

According to the Marshall Police Department, in 2024 between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, there were 58 total speeding citations issued in town. Two of which were cited for school zone speeding, however the official number for tickets given for school-zone speeding could be greater. It depends on how the citations are coded and written by the officers.

“It is important, the awareness of people coming into those school zones or those speed zones,” Marshall Police Chief Jim Marshall told The Marshall Independent in March. “I always encourage people to be mindful, and again, safety is our primary objective here.”

In 2024, there also were 46 school bus stop arm violations reported, according to MPD. Bus stop arm violations are when a vehicle continues to drive past a bus that is actively stopped and letting students on or off, with a stop sign arm pointed out.

“It takes all of our community members to work together,” Marshall said in March. “Safety of our children is our number one priority. Always has been, always will be.”

The city of Marshall has signage around its schools that specifically lower the speed limit, some of which flash while revealing the actual speed of a car driving past.

According to the 2024 Minnesota Statute policy 169.14, “Such school speed limits shall be in effect when children are present, going to or leaving school during opening or closing hours or during school recess periods. The school speed limit shall not be lower than 15 miles per hour and shall not be more than 30 miles per hour below the established speed limit on an affected street or highway.”

When it comes to speeding overall, a study from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety that was conducted May 1 through Sept. 2, 2024, detailed that law enforcement from 259 agencies across the state of Minnesota cited 68,723 speeding violations over the four-month period.

Also according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a part of the United States Department of Transportation, more than 68,000 pedestrians were injured nationwide in 2023.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) conducted a total of 5,000 surveys over the summer in July across 13 states, including Minnesota, to measure driving habits in school zones.

According to the report, 53% of Minnesotans that participated in the survey said their daily commute or regular driving route goes through a school zone or through bus stops.

When asked how often have you caught yourself, accidentally or intentionally, speeding in an active school zone, 13% of Minnesotans said sometimes, 4% said often, 24% said rarely and 59% reported never.

In the question, “How often have you caught yourself doing any of the following, whether it was accidentally or intentionally? — Using a hand-held cell phone while in an active school zone?” 3% of Minnesotans chose often, 9% said sometimes, 14% reported rarely with 74% saying never.

In all, 96% of participating Minnesotans in the study said they do believe distracted driving near school zones poses a major risk to children’s safety.

When it comes to pedestrian safety, the 2024 Minnesota Statute 169.21 details, “The driver of a vehicle shall stop to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a marked crosswalk or at an intersection with no marked crosswalk,” even when traffic-control signals are not in place or in operation.

Crossing guards can be seen daily every morning and afternoon around the Marshall schools, as another added safety measure, to help manage traffic as students cross the street.

“(We) want to take this opportunity to remind all drivers and community members to exercise extra caution when approaching school zones and crosswalks,” Marshall Superintendent Jeremy Williams said. “Please obey all posted signage, including flashing speed limit signs, and remain alert to crossing guards and pedestrians at all times. Student safety is a shared responsibility, and we appreciate everyone’s continued vigilance.”