(a) No person may drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the existing conditions and the actual and potential hazards. In every event speed shall be controlled as necessary to avoid colliding with any person, vehicle or other conveyance on or entering the highways in compliance with legal requirements and the duty of all persons to use due care.
(b) Where no special hazard exists that requires lower speed for compliance with subsection (a) of this section, the speed of any vehicle not in excess of the limits specified in this section or established as authorized in this section is lawful, but any speed in excess of the limits specified in this subsection or established as authorized in this section is unlawful. The following speed limits apply:
(1) Fifteen miles per hour in a school zone during school recess or while children are going to or leaving school during opening or closing hours. A school zone is all school property, including school grounds and any street or highway abutting the school grounds and extending one hundred twenty-five feet along the street or highway from the school grounds and, in the case of school property not abutting a street or highway but accessed through a right-of-way granted for entrance to school property, a school zone established by an engineering study conducted by the Division of Highways is all school property, including school grounds and any property within the access right-of-way, and extending one hundred twenty-five feet along the street or highway from the entrance to the access right-of-way. The West Virginia Division of Highways shall erect signage indicating the place of entry and exit of each school zone. Upon a formal vote and a written request by a county board of education to expand a school zone to a road that is adjacent to school property or from the entrance to an access right-of-way, the West Virginia Division of Highways shall expand the school zone by erecting new signage indicating the expanded school zone’s location and speed limit within ninety days of receiving the request: Provided, That the school zone may not be expanded more than one hundred twenty-five feet along an adjacent road unless the division determines that the additional extension is needed and necessary for the safety of the school children. The speed restriction does not apply to vehicles traveling on a controlled-access highway which is separated from the school or school grounds by a fence or barrier approved by the Division of Highways;