As thousands of students head back to class this fall, drivers need to take heed of the new stop-arm cameras in use on Prince Georges County and other area school buses.

Area school administrators say they are tired of watching motorists pass school buses while the stop arm is down – a practice that could lead to injury or death for young pedestrians entering or exiting the buses across roads and medians.

Drivers who don’t stop for the extended arm will now receive a $125 fine if caught by the new cameras; if a driver passes stopped bus with the stop sign extended and red lights flashing they will be ticketed $570 and receive points on their license.

With 154,000 kids registered to begin classes in Montgomery County schools alone, Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area administrators and law enforcement officials are on the lookout for bus stop violators.

Prince Georges County is experimenting with stop-arm cameras on 20 of its buses, and in other areas police officers will be out in full force to ticket offending motorists.

The personal injury attorneys at Goldberg Finnegan encourage all drivers to obey posted speed limits at all times, but especially when traveling through school zones. Additionally, halting when a buss stop arm is down can help avoid the hundreds of violations the area sees daily.

If you or someone you love was involved in a school bus accident, you have a right to compensation for the injuries you sustained or the pain and suffering you experienced.