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Page 1 of 3 AARP Driver Safety Smart Driver™ Course State-Specific Information D20697 – May 2024 MASSACHUSETTS SMART DRIVER™ COURSE STATE-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: MASSACHUSETTS UNIT 2 – How Do We Navigate Changes? Driving While Impaired - Participant Guidebook Page 14 Drivers will be automatically considered under the influence if they have a BAC of .08 or more. However, you can still be convicted of a DUI if your BAC is below this level, if there is sufficient evidence that your driving was impaired. Drivers will be considered under the influence if they operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of any intoxicating drug. Drivers consent to chemical tests of their blood, or breath if arrested for driving under the influence when they operate a motor vehicle. Refusing a test can result in a license suspension. Drivers will be required to install an ignition interlock device if they have multiple DUI convictions. UNIT 3 – Are We Ready to Drive? Child Safety Seats - Participant Guidebook Page 37 Children who are under the age of 8 or who are less than 57 inches tall must be restrained in a child safety seat. Construction Signs and Construction Zones - Participant Guidebook Page 49 Drivers must follow a flagger's directions. Fines for speeding are doubled in a work zone. Railroad Grade Crossings - Participant Guidebook Page 56 It is illegal to drive around a lowered railroad crossing gate, even if there is no train. Drivers must stop at least 15 feet from the tracks, but no more than 50 feet away. The number posted beneath a railroad crossing sign indicates the number of tracks to cross. UNIT 4 – Are We Smart on the Road? How to Avoid Distractions - Participant Guidebook Page 61 Drivers may not use a handheld device while driving. If a driver causes a crash because they were using a cell phone, they will face criminal charges and a license suspension. Drivers under the age of 18 may not use cell phones while driving. Safe Following Distance - Participant Guidebook Page 64 A safe following distance must be reasonable and prudent. This means adjusting your speed to the surrounding traffic, condition of the road and speed of the vehicle you are following. Massachusetts recommends a three-second following distance.