Excited kids will be heading back into the classrooms in Springfield starting today.

Law enforcement will be watching school zones for speeders and for those not being respectful of the school bus laws.

Here is some safe driving tips when it comes to school buses in Missouri:

1. When Must Drivers Stop?

• On two-lane roads, all traffic must stop—regardless of direction—when a school bus has its red lights flashing and its stop arm extended

• On four-lane roads (undivided), only traffic traveling in the same direction as the bus must stop. Opposite-direction traffic does not need to stop, but should remain cautious

• On divided highways with a median, again, only traffic following the bus’s direction must stop; others are not required to, though they should still use caution

2. Penalties for Violations

• Illegally passing a stopped school bus can result in a 90-day driver’s license suspension for a first offense, and a minimum 120-day suspension for subsequent offenses savemolives.com.

• Under Missouri law, passing a stopped school bus with its stop arm deployed is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to $2,000 in fines and up to one year in jail

• If the violation leads to injury or death, it can result in felony charges with more severe penalties

The Springfield Police Department has been actively enforcing the school bus stop-arm law. This includes a continuing campaign targeting drivers who violate stop-arm rules—highlighting the importance of stopping for buses as children embark or disembark