Children at play signs are you breaking the law with yours?

MERIDIAN, Idaho — We’ve all seen them, the little green plastic cutout of a child standing watch by the side of the road. The goal is to alert drivers there are children in the area playing.

But there are do’s and don’ts when it comes to where he can stand guard legally.

“So really it’s all about placement. If people place those signs in the middle of the road, that’s illegal, you’re obstructing the right of way. Also, they shouldn’t be placed in the middle of the sidewalk because that’s obstructing ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) access,” said Nicole DuBois from Ada County Highway District.

ACHD zone enforcers will stop and move children at play signs into your yard if they spot them in the street or on the sidewalk. In rare cases, they can remove them and take them back to ACHD headquarters.

In extreme cases, you could be charged with a misdemeanor under Idaho law.

To be safe, the best place to put your children at play sign is at the edge of the grass to maximize visibility for drivers and be compliant with the law.

"Really it's hard because those people are just encouraging other motorists that they see in their subdivisions to slow down, that there are children at play, nobody wants to see anybody get hurt," DuBois said.