Laws Tightened for Young Drivers

Question: My son will be getting his license soon and I am unclear on some of the requirements for new drivers under the Massachusetts Junior Operator’s License law. Could you please explain the restrictions to me?

Answer: Tt would like to once again answer this important question by providing the following information that may be found online on the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles website at www.mass.gov/rmv.

Any motor vehicle operator or motorcyclist between the ages of 16 1/2 and 18 is considered a junior operator. The Massachusetts Junior Operator’s License law (JOL) has several requirements and restrictions that significantly affect the operation of a motor vehicle by a person who has a junior operator’s license.

The basic purpose of the law is to provide new drivers supervised opportunities to develop good driving skills, while keeping those drivers free of possible distractions caused by friends under the age of 18 who are present while the drivers are behind the wheel.

The following restrictions apply to all junior operators:

A new driver may not operate a motor vehicle within the first six months after receiving a junior operator’s license while any person under age 18 is in the vehicle (other than the driver or an immediate family member), unless accompanied by a person who is at least 21 years old, has at least one year of driving experience, holds a valid driver's license from Massachusetts or another state, and is sitting beside the driver.

Also, the holder of a junior operator’s license shall have the license in his/her possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle.

The holder of a junior operator’s license may not operate a motor vehicle between 12:30 and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

If found operating a motor vehicle in violation of this restriction, the junior operator may be charged with operating a motor vehicle without a license. This is a criminal violation.

If a junior operator violates the passenger restriction or the night restriction, he/she will be subject to a license suspension of 60 days for a first offense, 180 days for a second offense, and one year for subsequent offenses. For a second or subsequent offense, he/she will also be required to complete a driver attitudinal retraining course.

This suspension must be imposed in addition to any other penalty, fine, suspension, revocation, or requirement that may be imposed in connection with a violation committed at the time he/she was violating the passenger or night restriction.

A junior operator’s license will be suspended for one year if he/she is under 18 when charged with certain driving offenses and alcohol or drugs were involved (180 days if ages 18 to 21), in addition to any penalty assessed by a court or other law.  

A junior operator will also face additional suspension periods of one year for a first drag racing offense and three years for a subsequent offense. For a first speeding offense, a junior operator’s license will be suspended for 90 days. For a subsequent offense, the junior operator’s license will be suspended for one year.

Anyone with questions for the Chief’s Column may submit them by mail to the Grafton Police Department, 28 Providence Road, Grafton, MA 01519. You may also email your questions or comments to chief@graftonpolice.com. Please include an appropriate subject line, as I do not open suspicious email for obvious reasons. 

Normand A. Crepeau, Jr. is Grafton’s Chief of Police.