There are many ways you could define what driver safety means in your household, and each member of your family might have their own priorities or opinions on what the rules should be.
For teen drivers, things can seem especially confusing and overwhelming. Between formal driver education and practicing at home, they are trying to balance learning your house rules, memorizing state laws and regulations, and developing new physical skills for maneuvering a vehicle safely (parallel parking practice, anyone?)
One great way to control some of the chaos is by making your rules and expectations official with a household driving contract. It might sound complicated, but it’s actually a simple three-step process:
Step 1: Hold a group discussion about safe driving practices with all household drivers, ensuring everyone’s thoughts and concerns are heard.
Step 2: Work together to define rules for safe driving that make sense for your household. (You can also download our pre-made contract for a quick jumping off point.)
Step 3: Finally, have each driver sign the contract to acknowledge and agree to the rules and responsibilities that you have outlined together.
Here are a few examples of how your household driving contract can help address some specific questions or concerns that might arise during your family discussion.
If you're a parent or guardian of a young driver, you might feel like you're under a lot of pressure. Not only are you expected to model good driving practices yourself—you're also responsible for mentoring your teen driver and making sure they get the practice and skill development they need to be a good driver.
In your driving contract, consider defining the behaviors and responsibilities that will help you be a good driving role model, a respectful communicator, and a fair partner in teaching your teen to be a smart and safety-conscious driver.
As for teens and other drivers who are new to the road? You're likely feeling the pressure, too! Learning to drive can be exciting, but you're also taking on a whole new level of responsibility. A driving contract can reduce uncertainty about rules and your responsibilities as a new driver in your household, allowing you to focus more fully on learning and practicing safely.
As one example, some vehicles drive differently in certain weather conditions, while others may include driver-assistance features that are unfamiliar—especially if you’re borrowing someone else’s vehicle. One of your driving contract commitments could be learning these important details about every vehicle you drive before you hit the road.
Peer pressure can also complicate things. You probably want to go out and have fun with your friends, but you also need to consider your family's rules on passengers and their etiquette—not to mention any state laws that apply. Use your driving contract to clarify those expectations ahead of time so you can avoid any misunderstandings on both sides.
Lastly, your top priority should always be making safe and smart decisions, whether you're driving yourself or getting a ride from a friend. Remember: Your personal safety is more important than any vehicle, and your driving contract is a great place to define an action plan for what to do in a situation where you feel your safety is compromised.
By working together to define your household's guidelines for driver safety, you'll be playing a key role in keeping everyone safer when driving.
To make things quick and easy, we have a pre-made household driving contract that you can download and use as is:
However, if you would prefer to modify our contract, or start from scratch, here are some topics to consider discussing with your household:
The information we share on our site is intended to serve as a general overview. Please refer to your policy or contact your local independent agent for specific coverage details.
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