Massachusetts laws
MGL c. 85, § 15 Lights on vehicles
Headlights must be on when windshield wipers are needed.
MGL c. 89 Law of the road
- MGL c. 89, § 7C Move over law
Requires drivers to move "into a lane not adjacent to that of the emergency response vehicle, highway maintenance vehicle or recovery vehicle" whenever possible. - MGL c. 89, § 7D Vehicles in crash involving only property damage to be moved out of travel lane
MGL c. 90 Motor vehicles
- MGL. c. 90, § 3 Motor vehicles owned by non-residents
A nonresident enrolled as a student at a school or college in the commonwealth who operates a motor vehicle registered in another state must file with local police a statement that provides ownership, registration information, and liability insurance coverage information. - MGL c. 90, § 7AA Child passenger restraints
- MGL c. 90, § 7U Motorcycles; maximum sound levels
- MGL c. 90, § 8 Operator's licenses
An applicant for the renewal of a license 75 years of age or older shall apply for a renewal in person at a registry branch office. - MGL c. 90, § 8M Use of mobile telephone, hands-free mobile telephone or mobile electronic device by person under 18 years of age while operating motor vehicle prohibited
- MGL c. 90, § 13B Use of hand-held devices
"No operator of a motor vehicle shall hold a mobile electronic device." - MGL c. 90, § 14A Protection of blind pedestrians crossing or attempting to cross ways
Commonly known as the "Mass. White Cane Law." - MGL c. 90, § 16 Offensive or illegal operation of motor vehicles
No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon any way, public or private, unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a muffler to prevent excessive or unnecessary noise.
MGL c. 90C Procedure for motor vehicle offenses
- MGL c. 90C, § 2 Citations and citation books, "No fix law"
MGL c. 90K Automated enforcement of bus stops and bus lanes (effective April 8, 2025)
- MGL c. 90K § 2 Enforcement of bus stop and bus lane violations through bus mounted camera systems
Recent statutes
St. 2024, c. 363 An act relative to bus lane enforcement
St. 2024, c. 399 An act concerning the safety of school children embarking and disembarking school buses
Massachusetts regulations
211 CMR 74 Standards of fault
211 CMR 134 Safe driver insurance plan
Lists minor and major traffic accidents and offenses which subject the violator to "points" on their auto insurance.
540 CMR Registry of Motor Vehicles
700 CMR 7.00 Use of the Massachusetts turnpike and the metropolitan highway system
- 700 CMR 7.04 Electronic toll collection
Massachusetts court rules
Federal regulations
76 FR 75470 Restricting the use of cellular phones by commercial motor vehicle drivers, as corrected by 76 FR 82179
Restricts the use of hand-held mobile telephones by drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).
Selected cases
Web sources
Appeal your traffic ticket, Mass. Registry of Motor Vehicles.
Explains how to appeal a ticket.
Blue Envelope Program, Massachusetts State Police.
A Blue Envelope is "a specially designed envelope that holds a driver's essential documents—license, registration, and a contact card. ... The envelope features critical communication guidelines on its exterior, specifically tailored to assist law enforcement officers in recognizing and adapting their approach when interacting with a driver who has autism."
Cell phone and texting laws, Governors Highway Safety Association, 2024.
Provides a chart of all state distracted driving laws.
Clear snow from your car or get pulled over, state police warn drivers, MassLive.com, Jan. 2019.
"In Massachusetts, police can use a couple of statutes to enforce snow-clearing. . . . [O]fficers can issue a $40 fine for impeded operation if a driver has obstructed windows and a $200 fine for driving with an unsecured load, which can include heavy sheets of snow or ice on a car's roof."
Discretionary, mandatory, and public safety suspensions, Mass. Registry of Motor Vehicles.
Provides a list and brief description of types of suspensions and revocations.
Fight a traffic ticket: 5 strategies that work, FindLaw, November 13, 2023.
IIHS research bibliography, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Search for statistics and laws on highway safety issues by topic. Also details selected motor vehicle laws by state, including electronic device laws, seat belt and child seat laws, marijuana laws, alcohol interlock laws, and more.
Last-minute legislating puts camera enforcement bills on governor's desk, StreetsBlog Mass, January 2, 2025.
An in-depth overview of two pieces of legislation (now signed into law as St. 2024, c. 363 and St. 2024, c. 399) pertaining to bus safety and camera enforcement.
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), Federal Highway Administration, 2009 edition.
MUTCD defines the standards used nationwide to install and maintain the signs, signals, and pavement markings on all streets and highways. A more recent edition of the MUTCD was published in 2023; however, Massachusetts currently uses the 2009 edition in conjunction with state-specific amendments.
Massachusetts driver's manuals, Mass. Registry of Motor Vehicles.
These manuals include all the key information needed to drive legally in Massachusetts. Chapters include: obtaining your license, keeping your license, rules of the road, and more.
Massachusetts traffic violations, MassachusettsVehicle.org.
An overview of the major types of traffic violations and penalties in Massachusetts, the RMV's point system, how traffic tickets and accident reports are handled, and what the driver should know about traffic-related arrests.
Pay a citation online, Mass. Registry of Motor Vehicles.
Table of citable motor vehicle offenses, Mass. District Court & Registry of Motor Vehicles, effective January 14, 2022.
Lists the fines for motor vehicle infractions, and indicates offenses which carry criminal penalties.
Traffic tickets, Mass. District Court.
"Find out what you should do if you get a traffic ticket and what the court process is like, as well as information on how to appeal a traffic ticket and court decision."
What to expect at a traffic ticket hearing, Mass. District Court.
"Find out what will happen at your traffic ticket hearing, who will be there, and what happens if you miss your hearing."
Print sources
Beat your ticket: Go to court & win by David Brown, Nolo, c2013. (eBook available here with library card).
Massachusetts motor vehicle offenses, 2nd ed., MCLE, loose leaf.
Trying OUI and other motor vehicle offenses in Massachusetts, 1st ed., MCLE, 2020 with supplement.
Contact for Massachusetts law about traffic violations
Online
| Last updated: | February 13, 2025 |
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