The state of Mississippi takes school bus stops very seriously. At Richard Schwartz and Associates, we understand just how important this is. The safety of Mississippi children relies on people obeying school bus laws, and maintaining a safe distance away from them while kids are unloading. The personal injury lawyers of Richard Schwartz want to keep our children safe, and avoid deadly accidents in the 2011-2012 school year.

In March 2011, Governor Hayley Barbour passed “Nathan’s Law”, a bill that strengthened the laws surrounding school buses in Mississippi. This change came from a 2009 school bus accident where a five year old boy named Nathan Keys was killed right in front of his home as he exited his school bus. The event geared great public outrage, and motivated the government to increase the penalties for driving around school buses.

The law changed to include that vehicles traveling on both sides of the road, regardless if there’s a median or it is a four lane highway, must stop when a school bus is unloading children. All vehicles must remain stationary until the children have exited the roadway, and the school bus continues on its route. People who break this law are subject to a fine of up to 750 dollars and might be sentenced to up to one year in jail. If the law is broken again within five years, the penalties rise up to 1,500 dollars and more jail time could be sentenced.

The new laws also increase the consequences of school bus related car accidents, and include a clause that states if a fatal or serious injury of a child is made as a result of passing a school bus, the person who caused the wreck faces up to 20 years in prison.

With these new laws in mind, the personal injury lawyers at Richard Schwartz and Associates of Jackson, Mississippi advocate that people be mindful of the road. School starts in August all over the state, and once it does school buses will be running once again. The children of Mississippi are the future, protecting them is very important. Watch the road, and drive carefully this school year!