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Contract for Safe Driving

This SAMPLE safe driving contract is provided as a service to our members.
Permission is granted to copy for non-commercial purposes.
1996, USAA. All rights reserved.

For (Teen's name) to be an active and contributing member of the community, he/she frequently requires transportation during times when work commitments make his/her parents unavailable. Further, this period in (Teen's name) life is a training period when he/she can learn to exercise responsible judgement by making increasingly difficult decisions. Therefore, (Parent's name) agree(s) to provide (Teen's name) primary access to a (Type of car).

Contract participants enter into this agreement to define the conditions under which (Teen's name) may maintain driving privileges. This contract also defines the conditions under which (Teen's name) may count on (Parent's name) for transportation and errand assistance.

The parties agree that these conditions are intended to help sustain (Teen's name) awareness of the risks associated with driving. The conditions also remind the parent(s) of their responsibilities in maintaining a relationship of mutual- utual respect and two-way communication.

(Teen's name) SHALL MAINTAIN DRIVING PRIVILEGES IF HE/SHE:

  1. Obeys all traffic laws and regulations.

  2. Drives defensively.

  3. Always wears a seat belt and insists that all passengers wear theirs.

  4. Does not drive after consuming alcohol or other illicit substances or permit passengers in the car to consume any illegal or unauthorized substance.

  5. Does not ride in a car in which anyone possesses or has consumed an illegal or unauthorized substance.

  6. Does not participate in any situation that involves reckless driving.

  7. If (Teen's name) encounters a situation involving alcohol, chemicals, or reckless driving, and finds that not participating will result in a lack of transportation, he/she will call his/her parent(s) any time, day or night.

  8. Does not drive another vehicle, or permit anyone to drive his/hers, except in a genuine emergency, such as illness or injury.

  9. Keeps parent(s) advised of intended route, and time of return, as well as any deviations or delays greater than 10 minutes.

  10. Reports all accidents and tickets to parent(s), and all accidents to police.

  11. Maintains at least 1/4 tank of gas and routinely checks the oil.

  12. Willingly responds to parental requests for chauffeur duty or running errands and is willing to calmly discuss any request he/she believes is not reasonable.

  13. Advises parent(s) of mechanical problems.

  14. Keeps vehicle clean, inside and out.

  15. Maintains a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

(Parent's name) CAN CONTINUE TO DEPEND UPON (Teen's name) FOR RUNNING ERRANDS AND CHAUFFEURING OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS IF PARENT(S) KEEP THE DOORS OF COMMUNICATION OPEN BY:
  1. Being willing to discuss sensitive topics objectively.

  2. Avoiding belittling language in disciplinary situations.

EXTENDED PRIVILEGES BY MEETING CONTRACT CONDITIONS CONSISTENTLY:
(Teen's name) recognizes that having primary access to a car is a significant privilege and that continued access to the car is sufficient recognition that he/she is a responsible driver. However, the parent(s) of has/have chosen to further recongnize consistent maturity in the following ways:
  1. For 6 months of driving free of moving violations, (Teen's name) will be granted I weekend without responsibility for errands. For 6 months of driving without any citations or violations, he/she will be granted I weekend without errand or chauffeur responsibility. For 12 straight months without any citations, he/she is granted 1 month free of errand or chauffeur duty. Counting reverts to zero at the end of a 12-month citation-free period.

  2. If (Teen's name) encounters a situation involving alcohol, chemicals, or reckless driving, and chooses not to participate, he/she all be granted a 1-hour curfew extension for 1 to 4 weekends.

  3. For every 6-month period in which (Teen's name) has alerted parent(s) of a change in route or delays longer than 10 minutes, he/she will be granted a 1-hour curfew extension for 1 to 4 weekends.

  4. For every 6-month period in which (Teen's name) has had no at-fault accidents, he/she voll be granted 1 weekend without responsibility for errands. For every 6-month period in which (Teen's name) accidents of any kind, he/she will have 2 weekends without responsibility for errands.

  5. For every 6-month period in which (Teen's name) shows a sustained willingness to fulfill errand and chauffeur responsibilities, he/she will be granted a weekend free of such duties.

NON-COMPLIANCE WITH DRIVING RESPONSIBILITIES SHALL RESULT IN SUSPENSION OF PRIVILEGES FOR THE LENGTHS OF TIME LISTED BELOW:
  1. Violating traffic laws: 1 to 6 weeks

  2. Not wearing a seat belt or insisting that passengers wear theirs: 2 days to 2 weeks

  3. Participating in situations involving alcohol, chemicals, or reckless driving: 2 months to 2 years

  4. Driving another person's vehicle or allowing another to drive his/hers: 2 days to 4 weeks

  5. Not notifying parent(s) of delays:

    LENGTH OF DELAY LENGTH OF DRIVING PRIVILEGE SUSPENSION
    10 minutes 4 hours
    20 minutes 8 hours
    30 minutes* 1 day
    *every 10 minutes, thereafter 1 day

  6. Not notifying parent(s) of change in route/destination: 1 day per occurrence

  7. Not notifying parent(s) of accident: 2 to 6 weeks

  8. Running out of gas or oil: 1 day for the lst occurrence; 2 days for the 2nd, and so on

  9. Exhibiting an uncooperative attitude toward errand/chauffeur responsibilities: 3 days to 2 weeks

  10. Not notifying parent(s) of mechanical malfunction: 1 to 3 days

  11. Not keeping vehicle clean: 1 to 3 days

  12. Not maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or higher: 6 weeks

NOTE: More lenient penalties may be imposed at the discretion of the parent(s), based on conditions surrounding the situation. Responsibility for errand and chauffeur assistance continues during any driving privilege suspension.

IF PARENTS DO NOT COMPLY WITH EITHER OF THE TWO CONDITIONS THEY HAVE AGREED TO, (Teen's name) WILL BE RELIEVED OF ERRAND AND CHAUFFEUR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ONE WEEKEND PER OCCURRENCE.


________________________________
(Parent's name)
_________________
(Date)
________________________________
(Parent's name)
_________________
(Date)
________________________________
(Teen driver's name)
_________________
(Date)

This SAMPLE safe driving contract is provided as a service to our members. Permission is granted to copy for non-commercial purposes. 1996, USAA. All rights reserved.


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