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1. I am 16 1/2 years old and I heard that there is a law that requires driver training before I can get my driver's license. What does the law require?

If you apply for a driver's license and are between the ages of 16 1/2 and 18 you must have possessed a learner's permit for at least six months and will only be issued a "Junior Operator's License" (JOL), upon passing a road test, and only if: You have successfully completed a driver education and training program approved by the Registrar which includes 30 hours of classroom instruction, six [soon to be expanded to eight] hours of in-car behind-the-wheel training and six (soon to be reduced to four) hours in-car as an observer of another student driver;  You have completed at least an additional 12 hours of supervised behind-the-wheel driving as shown by a certified statement provided by your parent or guardian; You have had a learner's permit for at least six months; and You have had a "clean driving record" for a minimum of six consecutive months immediately preceding the date you took your road test. The most significant effects of the law's requirements and restrictions are on the operation of a motor vehicle by a person in possession of a "Junior Operator's License." A basic purpose of the law is to provide you with a supervised opportunity to develop good driving skills, while being free of possible distractions caused by having friends your own age present while you are behind the wheel. Under the law, if you are a junior operator (between the ages of 16 1/2 and 18): You may not operate a motor vehicle, within the first six months after receiving a "Junior Operator's License" while any passenger under the age of 18 is in the vehicle (other than yourself or an immediate family member), unless you are 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 occupying a seat beside you. A junior operator who violates the passenger restriction shall be subject to a license suspension of up to 90 days. The six month passenger restriction period will stop running when the suspension begins and the remainder of the restriction period will start running again when the suspension is completed. As the holder of a "Junior Operator's License" (or Learner's Permit), you may not operate a motor vehicle during the hours of midnight. (midnight) to 5 am unless accompanied by your parent or your legal guardian. You may not operate a motor vehicle requiring a commercial driver's license; Your "Junior Operator's License" will be suspended for a substantial period of time if you are under 18 years of age at the time certain driving offenses involving alcohol or drugs are committed. You will face a license suspension for a 2nd or subsequent offense for speeding or drag racing violations.

2. I am almost 16. Can I obtain my "Junior Operator's License" when I turn 16?

No. The law requires that you be at least 16 1/2 to obtain a "Junior Operator's License." You would have to obtain your Learner's Permit at age 16 and drive for six (6) months without any surchargeable incidents or motor vehicle offenses before you would be eligible to apply for a "Junior Operator's License" at age 16 1/2

3. I heard that a new driver with a JOL is not subject to the passenger restriction during the times when he is driving his friends to and from high school in a car pool. Is this true?

No. The law does not provide an exemption from the passenger restriction for a JOL driver who is driving his friends to or from school. Similarly, there is no exemption from the passenger restriction to transport friends to or from a prom or other school-related activity

4. The back of my JOL says that "passenger restriction may apply if under 18." How will a police officer who stops me know if I am subject to the restriction?

Once a person is stopped by a Police Officer, the officer normally checks the validity and status of the driver's license by contacting the Registry of Motor Vehicles. If, as the driver, you possess a Junior Operator's License and there are unrelated persons under the age of 18 in the vehicle, and no licensed driver 21 years of age or over supervising your driving from the front passenger seat, the Officer will make an additional query. The Officer will also ask the Registry (either through a computer link in the police car or through a computer terminal at the police station) if you are subject to the passenger restriction. The Registry data link will confirm that you are or are not subject to the restriction.

5. What is the penalty if I get caught without my parent in the car?

Question: I am under 18 years of age. I know my parent must be in the car when I operate it with my Learner's Permit between the hours of midnight. (midnight) and 5 am. Someone told me that the same will be true after I get my "Junior Operator's License." Is that right? What is the penalty if I get caught without my parent in the car?

If you are caught operating on a "Junior Operator's License" during those hours, without your parent present in the vehicle, you will be deemed to be operating a motor vehicle without being duly licensed. It is a criminal offense and you may be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $200

6. Will I definitely be cited for violating the restriction if I am seen driving at 12:15 am?

Complete Question: I am afraid that I may be cited for driving without my parent in the car between the hours of midnight. and 5 am, in violation of the restrictions of my "Junior Operator's License." I am 17 1/2 and I drive myself to work on weekend nights at "Burger World." On Friday nights I usually get out of work at 11:30 pm and I can drive home in twenty minutes. Sometimes ( but not too often) the boss keeps us later and I don't get out until midnight. (midnight). I do not want to lose my "Junior Operator's License" but I don't want to give up the job, either. Will I definitely be cited for violating the restriction if I am seen driving at 12:15 am?

Section three of the law says that between the hours of midnight. and 1 am and between 4 am and 5 am, the provisions of the law shall be enforced by law enforcement agencies only when a junior operator of a motor vehicle has been lawfully stopped for a violation of the motor vehicle laws or some other offense. This is called "secondary enforcement." However, it is still illegal for you to operate during those times without a parent present in the car.

7. I work all day and I will probably not have the time to supervise the additional 12 hours of required driving experience. Can my brother do it?

Complete Question: I am a single parent and my 17 year old son is going to apply for his "Junior Operator's License." He can go to the driver education course at school and that is not a problem. However, I work all day and I will probably not have the time to supervise the additional 12 hours of required driving experience. Can my brother do it? Can my brother and my uncle each supervise some of the required driving? Can I hire the driving school to do it? Parent Need Not Personally Supervise Additional 12 Hours of Driving.

You may designate your brother or any other person to supervise your son's 12 hours of driving experience if your brother or the other person is a validly licensed driver over the age of 21 and has at least one (1) year of driving experience. Your brother and your uncle can split the driving supervision, since the law does not require that only one person provide the 12 hours of supervised driving. You may also contract with any driving school offering such services to supervise the additional 12 hours of driving experience. You must make sure that your son is receiving the required 12 hours of instruction. You will have to certify, under oath, on your son's Driver's License application, that he did receive the 12 hours of supervised driving.