A teenager from Ipswich faces charges for breaking the Massachusetts junior drivers’ license law by driving after midnight. Drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to drive between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. After speeding and crashing his car in Gloucester around 1:30 a.m. on Friday morning, 17-year-old Alden Burnham told police that he had slid on snow and into a rock. Police have reported that when they arrived at the scene, there were approximately 40 feet of skid marks on about 4 inches of snow on the unplowed road. Burnham was not injured in this accident.
Such charges are very common amongst young drivers. In an effort to minimize teen accidents and teen driving fatalities, the state has adopted and implemented rules for junior drivers. Because car accidents are the most prominent killer of teens in the nation and young drivers are four times more likely to be killed and 14 times more likely to be injured than any other age group, the state has recently revised and toughened its junior driving law. Drivers under the age of 18 in Massachusetts can now expect to face multiple charges or license restrictions if they violate any of the following state laws:
• Not allowed to carry passengers for first 6 months (other than parents)
• Time Restriction Violation, 12:30 a.m. – 5 a.m.
• Operating to Endanger/Recklessly or Negligent • Drag-Racing not permitted • Speeding not permitte • Conviction for the use of a mobile electronic device (text or phone)
• Negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use
The first-offense charges for violating the time restriction is a 60-day license suspension and a $100 reinstatement fee.
If you or your loved one has been involved in a car accident, contact on of our experienced Massachusetts Car Accident Lawyers for a free consultation.
Sources:
Ipswich teen charged in Gloucester accident, The Salem News, April 2, 2011
Junior Operator License, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, mass.gov
The Massachusetts car accident lawyers at Altman & Altman can advise you if you have been injured on the road.