Massachusetts is especially strict about young people and alcohol, open containers in vehicles, and fake IDs. Many of these penalties hit your license even if you never had a crash.
Know the rule
Massachusetts has a zero-tolerance law: if you're under 21 and caught driving with a BAC as low as 0.02, you will lose your license.
Handbook p. 81 ↗If you are under 21, it is illegal to:
- Buy alcohol or have someone buy it for you
- Possess, carry or transport alcohol unless accompanied by a parent or guardian
Under-21 alcohol suspensions
| Offense | Suspension |
|---|---|
| Buying, possessing or transporting alcohol | 90 days to one year (plus fines) |
| Buying or trying to buy alcohol | 180 days |
Know the rule
You may not drink alcohol while driving or have an open alcoholic drink inside the vehicle, even if someone else is holding it. Fine: $100 to $500. If you're under 21, you'll be arrested, fined and suspended.
Handbook p. 82 ↗Know the rule
It's illegal to use a false or altered license or ID, use another person's, or give false information to get one. In most cases these are felonies, and you face penalties even if you don't try to buy alcohol.
Handbook p. 82 ↗False ID suspensions
| Situation | Suspension |
|---|---|
| RMV action, no conviction required | Up to six months |
| After a conviction | One year |
Know the rule
Buying false licenses or IDs on the Internet is dangerous and often results in identity theft.
Handbook p. 82 ↗Know the rule
Marijuana makes it harder to respond to sights and sounds and to handle a quick series of tasks. The biggest danger is an unexpected event, like a child running out between parked cars, and it causes a bad loss of night vision.
Handbook p. 82 ↗How other drugs affect drivers:
- Hard drugs (LSD, heroin, opium): you feel unaware of where you are, and like you don't care
- Prescription sedatives and tranquilizers: drowsiness
- Most cold, hay fever and headache medicines: drowsiness; pain killers and codeine can be very dangerous
- Stimulants (pep pills, speed, cocaine, diet pills): brief alertness, then fatigue, nervousness, dizziness
- Inhaled solvents or glue vapors: can leave you unable to operate a vehicle properly
Know the rule
Read medicine labels and know the side effects; ask your doctor or pharmacist if you're not sure. Combining alcohol with other drugs dramatically increases the negative effects.
Handbook p. 83 ↗Put it into practice
You're 22, driving friends home, and a passenger opens a can of beer. You aren't drinking, but an open alcoholic drink anywhere in the vehicle breaks the open container law, even in someone else's hand: a $100 to $500 fine.