You may have noticed that speed limits near Santa Clara schools have dropped to 15 mph. The Santa Clara city council approved the change last June as part of its Vision Zero program to reduce auto collisions with pedestrians and bicyclists. In October, city public works crews finished installing new signs.

The new limit applies to specific streets around both public and private schools, and is restricted to “when children are present.” You can find a map on the city website.

The change is part of Santa Clara’s Vision Zero plan to make city streets safer for pedestrians.

“The goal there is to really focus efforts on fatalities and severe injuries,” Michael Liw, assistant public works director, told The Weekly last June. “The notion with Vision Zero … is that traffic fatalities should not be acceptable in any form.”

Lowering speed limits even 5 mph can reduce traffic injuries and fatalities by 10-30% overall, and 2-15% for bicyclists and pedestrians, reports UC Berkeley. And the risk of pedestrian deaths drops by half when speed limits drop to 20 mph from 30 mph, according to the Vision Zero Network.

Santa Clara’s school zone speed reductions come as the state legislature is considering legislation to lower school zone speed limits.

For example, AB 382 would reduce the default school-zone speed limit to 20 mph starting in 2029, while allowing localities to set 15 mph limits in certain areas. A 2024 bill, AB 2583, allows cities more flexibility to lower and better define school zone speeds.

Not all cities have waited for the state to lead the way. Sunnyvale reduced its school zone limits in 2019. South San Francisco reduced the limits to 15 mph in 2023. And San Francisco has had 15 mph school zone speed limits since 2012.

Carolyn Schuk can be reached at carolyn@santaclaraweekly.com.