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You’re under 21 and you were arrested for drunk driving and you failed the breath test.
What happens next? I’m Steve Brooks. I’m a criminal trial attorney in Massachusetts
and I have an office in Boston and one in Dedham. I can answer your questions about
this subject. In Massachusetts, the penalties are enhanced for people who are under 21 years
of age who fail the breath test. In Massachusetts, if the blood alcohol result is .02% or higher
the defendant is required to attend a youth alcohol program. The program is very similar
to the adult 24-D programs, geared towards younger offenders. It’s important to know
that this requirement is in place regardless of the result of the criminal case. The registrar
of Motor Vehicles will not reinstate the license of a person who is under 21 unless they enroll
in the youth alcohol program. The person could win their case in court or have it dismissed
and would still have to enroll and complete the program. Completion of the program is
very important for someone who is under 21. If the driver enrolls in the program but doesn’t
finish, the registry will take the license away for an additional 6 months. So it’s
important once the enrollment is made to follow through with the program. If the result of
the breath test is higher than .08%, then the case is similar to one as an adult. Now
you’re watching this video because you are under 21 or someone close to you is under
21 and took a breathalyzer and failed it. I can answer your questions about this subject.
I handle these cases every day. Call me. My number is 781-251-0555. Thanks for watching.