There's a reason why a family's auto insurance premiums go up when a teenager starts driving the family car. According to Registry of Motor Vehicles figures, 32% of all 16-year-old drivers will be in a serious crash. The numbers head down to 17% of 17 year olds and 13% of 18 year olds.
But still, the numbers are high. As an attempt to address this problem, Massachusetts places special restrictions on and requires extra training from drivers younger than 18.
Here is a roundup of what it takes for someone younger than 18 to drive in Massachusetts:
Massachusetts Junior Operator's License
Since 1998, Massachusetts has had a graduated driver's licensing program, in which drivers younger than 18 have to meet specific requirements, have some restrictions on driving, and receive major penalties for motor vehicle violations. When drivers turn 18, they graduate to full driver's licenses, but still can face harsh penalties if convicted of a motor vehicle violation that includes alcohol or drugs.
The idea behind the Massachusetts Junior Operator's License is to make sure that young people, who statistically are more likely to have motor vehicle violations and traffic accidents than older adults, have the training and experience to be safer drivers before being given full driving privileges.
How to Obtain a Massachusetts Junior Operator's License
You can apply for a Massachusetts Junior Operator's License as young as 16 1/2 years old, but you need to meet the following specific requirements:
- You need to have held your Massachusetts learner's permit for at least six months.
- You must complete 40 hours of driving (30 hours if you complete a driver skills development program) with your parent or guardian, who must certify the driving time on an RMV form.
- You have held a learner's permit for at least six months.
- You must have a clean driving record for the six months before you take the road test.
If you meet all of these qualifications, you can apply for an RMV road test. Pass the test and you are the proud owner of a Massachusetts Junior Operator's License.
Restrictions on a Massachusetts Junior Operator's License
Once you obtain a Massachusetts Junior Operator's license, you can drive under certain restrictions until you reach 18, when you automatically qualify for a full license. The restrictions include the following:
- Junior operators cannot drive between the hours of 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- For the first six months as a junior operator, you cannot have anyone younger than 18 as a passenger in the car unless you are accompanied by a licensed Massachusetts driver 21 or older, who has been a license holder for at least a year, and is sitting in the passenger seat next to you.
Junior Operator Violations and Penalties
Violate any of the specific restrictions of the Junior Operator License, or get convicted of a motor vehicle violation with drugs or alcohol involved, and you will face major penalties:
- Anyone violating the restriction about carrying passengers younger than 18 gets an automatic license suspension of up to 60 days and a reinstatement fee of $100.
- A speeding violation entails a 90-day license suspension and a serious loss of allowance money: there is a $50 minimum fine, a $50 surcharge, plus the states charges $10 for every mph you clocked over the speed limit. Talk about a hefty deterrent.
If you do not manage to learn from this punishment and push the pedal to the metal again, you just might be begging your parents to taxi you to the mall for the next year while all your friends are driving. The suspension turns to a year, with the same monetary fines. Plus, you have to reapply for the initial learner’s permit.
Drag racing with the buddies is even worse. Keep the Daytona dreams restricted to the arcade because getting caught racing in the streets is a loss of the permit for a year, a $250 fine, and a $500 reinstatement fee.
Learn more about applying for a Massachusetts driver's license.
