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Committee: residents may post 'handicapped child' signs, county staff warn of liability
Summary
Committee members advised residents they may purchase and install 'handicapped child' or similar warning signs themselves, while staff cautioned the county may face liability if it installs nonstandard signs; the committee encouraged citizens to buy and place signs if they wish.
The Roads and Bridges Committee on Sept. 16 discussed requests from residents in Boynton Valley and other neighborhoods for signs warning drivers about handicapped or hearing-impaired children.
A committee member said citizens may purchase and install such signs themselves and that the signs are inexpensive. "They're easy to buy on Amazon. They don't cost a whole lot," a committee member said during discussion. County staff cautioned that county installation of nonstandard signs could carry legal liability, though staff members said they had not seen a case where the county was held responsible for a privately placed sign.
The resident who raised the concern said her household includes a child with disabilities and she is uncomfortable letting the child play near the road because of high vehicle speeds. The committee noted that any official posted regulatory speed changes still require engineering review and enforcement by the appropriate authority; the signs discussed are warning signs, not legal speed-limit postings.
Committee members recommended that residents who want warning signs may buy and install them but advised they should post signs facing both directions. A staff member said he would follow up with informational material and email guidance to committee members. The committee did not direct county crews to purchase or install the private warning signs, and emphasized that county installation decisions would follow county policy and legal review.
