New Missouri law intensifies fines for illegally passing a school bus
Passing a school bus that's picking up or dropping off kids is illegal — and a new Missouri law is making it more costly.
A new Missouri law will increase the penalties and fines for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses. The law goes into effect Aug. 28, right around the start of the new school year.
Gov. Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 1421 into law in July, which drastically changes the penalties for drivers who don't stop while children are getting on or off school buses. The law doesn't change any of Missouri's traffic rules surrounding school bus safety.
All drivers who fail to stop for a school bus will now incur five points on their driver's license. Missouri's current statute does not automatically add points to licenses for violating school bus traffic laws.
According to the Missouri Department of Revenue, drivers who accumulate eight or more points within 18 months will have their license suspended.
Monetary penalties for violating the law will also increase after each offense.
A first offense will result in a $500-$1,000 fine and a possible license suspension. A second offense within five years of the first will result in a $1,000-$2,000 fine and a 90-day driver's license suspension. All following offenses within five years will incur a fine of $1,500-$3,000 and result in a 180-day license suspension.
According to the bill's summary, no court will be able to suspend any fines that violators of the new law will be required to pay.
Penalties will also intensify for all these violations if a child is struck, injured or killed.
If a driver's failure to stop causes a child physical injury, it is now classified as a class E felony, with a consequence of up to four years in prison. If a failure to stop results in serious physical injury, it will be charged as a class D felony, with a consequence of up to seven years in prison.
Both Class D and E felonies can include a fine sentence of up to $10,000.
What to do when driving near a school bus
A school bus flashing yellow lights indicates that it's preparing to stop to load or unload kids. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop behind the bus.
Red flashing lights on a bus and extended stop arms mean that kids are currently getting on or off the bus. Drivers must stop behind the bus until the bus lights stop flashing and the stop arm is no longer extended.
