I was recently ticketed here for driving the posted speed limit at around 4 PM. When I asked why I was pulled over the cop stated it was a school zone- I was driving with the flow of traffic and did not see any flashing lights on the school zone sign to indicate that the 20 MPH speed limit was in effect. I reviewed my dash cam footage when I got off the road and confirmed the lights were not flashing in my direction of travel, and no children or crossing guards were present. The court hours are in the evening, and this town of 1000 is in the middle of nowhere. These two factors will likely combine to make this ticket abnormally expensive to fight (lots of after hours travel time for an attorney). I am certain that if I ran the numbers it would cost less to pay the ticket than it would to get a competent lawyer to represent me. This town is the epitome of a speed trap.

Highway 54 is obviously a 4 lane. There are scenarios where the school zone sign can be blocked by semis or other large vehicles. If you turn onto 54 from a side street there is nothing indicating you are even in a school zone. Tickets are around $285. You can ask the City Attorney to amend it to a non moving citation for a fee of $150. That's $435 for having no idea you are in a school zone.

This town has 1300 people and is 3 square miles. Last year they wrote $112,000 in citations including $57,000 in the highway 54 school zone. The schools are several blocks away from the highway. Someone should actually observe this area and see if anyone actually crosses the highway during the speed trap hours. If you are concerned about points the tickets get amended for another $150 if you can actually talk to the City Attorney. The only way to deal with these is protect yourself with video/audio evidence and expose this money maker to the press (news and or television). I don't believe they want to keep the area safe they just want to collect the $57,000 a year (Yates Center Police Department Facebook Page)

If you are turning off of 75 the one and only warning sign can be obstructed by large or tall vehicles. There are no signs indicating a school zone ahead nor are there signs where the school zone ends. There are no pavement markings that show school zone. If you enter this school zone from a number of side streets there is nothing that gives you notice you are in a school zone. How do you violate a law if you are not given sufficient notice of being in a school zone?