Driving Regulations Under the Massachusetts State Law a junior operator is someone between the ages of 16.5 and 18. The basic purpose of the junior operator law is to provide a supervised opportunity to gain safe driving skills without the possibilities of distractions from your peers. License Violations
*Junior operators are only required to complete the SCARR course 1 time. The Registry of Motor Vehicles imposes harsh junior operator penalties which include substantial JOL suspensions, as well as stiff fines and reinstatement costs, even for first time offenders. The new law creates a "zero tolerance" environment for speeding or other unsafe driving by those on a Junior Operator’s License. A single speeding ticket for a Junior Operator will result in a 90-day license suspension, required completion of the State Courts Against Road Rage (SCARR) program, completion of an attitudinal retraining course, and a mandatory $500 reinstatement fee. In addition, violations in excess of 10 mph over the speed limit also include additional $10 fines for each mph over that threshold and a $50 surcharge. A second speeding ticket on a JOL will result in an automatic 1 year license suspension. JOL Speeding, Drag Racing, and Operating to Endanger: A finding of responsible for speeding (1st offense) while on a JOL will result in a 90 day JOL suspension. A second speeding citation on a Junior Operator’s License will result in a 1 year license revocation. In either case, the Junior Operator will have to pay a $500 reinstatement fee, complete the NSC driver attitudinal retraining course, complete the State Courts Against Road Rage (SCARR) Program, and take a full written & road test. The Registry will not issue hardship licenses for these JOL suspensions. However, the Board of Appeal has the discretion to either shorten the length of the JOL suspension or authorize the issuance of a Hardship License. JOL Passenger Restriction: A Junior Operator may not operate a motor vehicle within the first six (6) months after receiving a JOL while any passenger under 18 is in the vehicle (other than the Operator or an immediate family member [siblings]), unless the Junior Operator is accompanied by a person who is at least 21 years old, who has at least 1 year of driving experience, a valid license, and is seated beside the driver. JOL Passenger Restriction Penalties: 60-day JOL suspension and $100 reinstatement fee for a first offense, 180-day suspension, $100 reinstatement fee, and a required driver attitudinal retraining course for a second offense, One-year suspension, $100 reinstatement fee, a required driver attitudinal retraining course, and the need to retake the knowledge and road tests for a subsequent offense. JOL Hours Restriction: A Junior Operator may not operate a motor vehicle during the hours of 12:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. JOL Hours Restriction Penalties: A violator of the JOL Time Restriction is considered to be unlicensed. It is a criminal offense and the Junior Operator may be arrested and punished by a fine and the license may be suspended. The minimum penalties for this violation are the same as the penalties for the passenger restriction. MASSACHUSETTS JOL PENALTY OVERVIEW
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