Drivers will fail a chemical test if their Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) exceeds what level?

A driver will fail a chemical test, such as a breathalyzer, if their Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) exceeds a level of 0.08%. This statutory limit is in place to ensure that drivers are not operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol to the extent that it impairs their ability to drive safely.

At 0.08% BAC, a driver's motor skills, judgment, and reaction times can be significantly affected, greatly increasing the risk of accidents. The legalization of this limit is based on extensive research and data showing that individuals with a BAC at this level exhibit impaired driving abilities.

The other BAC levels mentioned—0.05, 0.10, and 0.12—represent varying degrees of impairment, but they do not constitute the legal threshold for determining intoxication while driving in Massachusetts. Specifically, while drivers might face penalties for BAC levels below 0.08, the automatic fail of a chemical test is officially set at 0.08%, making it the critical benchmark for legal repercussions concerning driving under the influence.