After the Test : Parents/Young Driver Agreement
Keeping Your New Driver Safe After The Test
Parent / Young Driver Agreements are popular in the USA, especially when the parent has invested both time and money in helping their child pass the driving test. The agreement is that the young driver is allowed to use the family car unsupervised as long as they agree to follow a set of rules which ensure that they stay out of situations that commonly lead to new drivers crashing. As the young driver becomes more experienced, then the rules can be relaxed, allowing the young driver more freedom.
RoSPA have produced a Parents and Young Drivers Agreement which discusses the issues and includes a sample agreement.
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Parents and Young Drivers
 (PDF format 145 kb)
This document give facts and information about the risks to young drivers and how you can draw up a contract between yourself and your son or daughter to ensure that they are safe by adhering to certain conditions. The free resource also gives an example of a contract on the back page. |
What A Parent/Young Driver Agreement Can Contain
Some of the rules in the Parent / Young Driver agreement reinforce the law so that the young driver understands the issues, others are practical steps to reduce the chances of a crash and remove the young driver from dangerous situations.
Driving at night
Young drivers have a large proportion of their crashes during the night time. A Parent / Young Driver agreement can incorporate hours between which a young driver agrees not to use the car – for example between midnight and 6 am.
Carrying groups of friends
Peer pressure increases the risk of young drivers being involved in an accident. You can agree a limit on the number of friends that they can carry in their vehicle (and not carrying friends who have been drinking) when an adult is not present.
Drink and drugs
Drinking can also be a relatively new experience for young drivers. The combination of not understanding the link between alcohol and dangerous driving, and an over confidence in their own abilities, can be a recipe for disaster. You can ask the young driver to stick to a zero limit if they wish to drive. You can also ask the young driver not to drive the morning after a late night out, as alcohol can stay in their body and worsen driving performance for a long period of time.
Speed
Young drivers are more likely to break speed limits and to see speed as exciting. And it is not just breaking the speed limit which causes problems, but also driving at an inappropriate speed within the limit. For example, young drivers are much more likely to enter corners too fast or not adjust their driving behaviour in the wet or ice. Discuss the dangers of inappropriate speed and speeding with your new driver, and also stipulate in the agreement that they agree not to break the speed limit.
Remember that young drivers only have 6 points on their licence for the first 2 years, and so even one offence can result in a driving ban.
Driver distractions
Distractions, such as using a mobile phone, have a greater effect on new drivers than more experienced ones (although they increase the risk for everyone). Ask the young driver not to use their mobile phone, or drink, smoke, eat or play loud music whilst driving.
Seat belts
Seat belts save 7 lives in the UK every day! Ask the new driver to agree that they will always wear their seat belt, and ensure that their passengers do the same.
‘P’ Plates
P Plates tell other road users that a driver has recently passed their test, and to give them more room and time.
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