OT: At what age, would you let a teenager drive a younger sibling

[DVCLiz]

This is the way I felt. I was actually thrilled when the first thing my newly licenced 16 year old asked was if he could take his 13 year old brother to the store. I was happy he could share his first "solo" drive with someone.

DD22 took DD17 to Sonic the first day she had her license.

I let them drive together from the beginning, but only a few trips to nearby places. Once we had a couple of months of teen driving under our belts, I let them go wherever they wanted around town. I think DD was 17 before I let her drive her younger sister on the highway to the " big" mall in Durham, about an hour away. She had had her license a full year by that point.

 

[jme829]

I let my oldest drive with her sister as soon as she got her license at 16. If I trusted her behind the wheel, why wouldn't I trust her with her sister in the car.

 

[Anne34]

I let my oldest drive with her sister as soon as she got her license at 16. If I trusted her behind the wheel, why wouldn't I trust her with her sister in the car.

I trusted her with her siblings from the beginning. Will trust my son in June too or I wouldn't be letting him get his license!

 

[powellrj]

In IN, we have a graduated driving program (rules) at 16, you aren't allowed ANY passengers under 18 at 17, you can drive someone under 18, during daylight hours providing they are an immediate family member. At 18, there are no restrictions.

Now if they'd only enforce it...

To answer your question, I see no problem with a 17 yr old driving a sibling around. 16 if they were responsible AND if it wasn't against the rules.

These must be newer, because they didn't have them when my older kids got their license. When my oldest got his, his sister was 2 and part of the deal was he had to pick her up from daycare after school because I worked. It was great because she would rat him out all the time when he was doing something he wasn't suppose to. The situation was different too in that daycare was only 3 blocks from our house, so he was only driving her about 2 minutes in a residential area. If it had of been farther or highway driving, no way.

How quickly time flies because that 2 year old will soon be 15 and her brother will soon be 30!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

These must be newer, because they didn't have them when my older kids got their license. When my oldest got his, his sister was 2 and part of the deal was he had to pick her up from daycare after school because I worked. It was great because she would rat him out all the time when he was doing something he wasn't suppose to. The situation was different too in that daycare was only 3 blocks from our house, so he was only driving her about 2 minutes in a residential area. If it had of been farther or highway driving, no way.

How quickly time flies because that 2 year old will soon be 15 and her brother will soon be 30!

I want to say it was "enacted" in the last 8 years or so. I just turned 30 and it was not even a consideration when I got my license!

Changes were made in 2009... and I got the passenger thing wrong to, it may have been like that in the beginning, but I guess they figured that so many kids share rides to school, events, and sports, so they changed it.

Link:

Graduated Drivers Licensing Beginning July 1, 2009, Indiana will implement new Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) requirements for probationary drivers under the age of 18. Since young drivers are at greater risk for becoming involved in traffic crashes that result in severe injury and death, specific restrictions have been put into place to help teens safely travel Indiana’s roadways.

If you are 16 or 17 years old when you get your driver's license, your license is considered probationary until you turn 18 years old. You may amend your license after you turn 18 years old to remove the probationary driver designation from your license. However, once a driver turns 18 years old, the probationary driver restrictions will no longer apply to even if the designation is still indicated on the license.

Recent changes to state law affect probationary drivers who get an Indiana driver’s license on or after July 1, 2009. Drivers who get an Indiana driver’s license on or before June 30, 2009, are not affected by the following changes in state law.

No matter what type of license you have, every passenger in the vehicle that you are driving must wear a seat belt - even if that vehicle is a truck or SUV.

Changes To Indiana Law For Probationary Drivers Who Get A License (Effective July 1, 2009) Telecommunication Devices
If you get a probationary driver's license on or after July 1, 2009, you may not use any type of telecommunication device while driving except to make emergency 911 calls.

When You May Drive
Drivers under the age of 18 may not drive between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. for the first 180 (approximately six months) days after getting their license.

After the first 180 days, you may not drive during the following hours:

Sunday through Thursday, after 11 p.m. – 5 a.m.
Friday and Saturday, 1 a.m. – 5 a.m.
Drivers under the age of 18 are permitted to drive at any time if traveling to or from work, school, or religious event, or if accompanied by an individual with a valid Indiana driver’s license who is 25 years or older.




Driving with Passengers
If you receive a probationary driver's license on or after July 1, 2009, you may not drive with passengers for the first 180 days after obtaining your license, unless you are also accompanied by a licensed instructor, an individual with a valid Indiana driver’s license who is 25 years or older, or a parent, guardian, or step-parent who is 21 years or older. You may drive with your child, sibling, or spouse during the hours allowed by law.

Court Diversion Programs
If you receive a probationary driver's license on or after July 1, 2009, you will not qualify for court diversion programs.

 

[golfgal]

I let my oldest drive with her sister as soon as she got her license at 16. If I trusted her behind the wheel, why wouldn't I trust her with her sister in the car.

Same here-if one of our kids wasn't responsible enough driving to drive a sibling, they wouldn't have gotten their license in the first place.

 

[Mermaid02]

I let my oldest drive with her sister as soon as she got her license at 16. If I trusted her behind the wheel, why wouldn't I trust her with her sister in the car.

This is how I feel too. One of my kids isn't more important than the other. And as far as them fighting.... my kids felt SO COOL when they are alone in the car they get along great (this is from my daughter who was the driver- my son is 7 years younger).

 

[Frye7127]

My DS was 6 and her other half-brothers were 10 and 8 when my step-daughter started driving and he would have loved to ride with her, but our rule was No! Not because we did not trust her driving skills, but because we knew, God forbid, if she were in an accident that killed or seriously injured one of them, she would never be able to get over it. I know without an ounce of doubt in my heart and mind that she would do anything to keep them safe, but having her live with it was not something DH or I were willing to have her do just yet. Her mom let her drive iwth her boys when she was about 17 or so and we let DS ride with her when she was 18- she would take him to lunch from school sometimes.

 

[kacaju]

My DS was 6 and her other half-brothers were 10 and 8 when my step-daughter started driving and he would have loved to ride with her, but our rule was No! Not because we did not trust her driving skills, but because we knew, God forbid, if she were in an accident that killed or seriously injured one of them, she would never be able to get over it. I know without an ounce of doubt in my heart and mind that she would do anything to keep them safe, but having her live with it was not something DH or I were willing to have her do just yet. Her mom let her drive iwth her boys when she was about 17 or so and we let DS ride with her when she was 18- she would take him to lunch from school sometimes.

boy, I feel like a bad mom here...that thought never once crossed my mind...

 

[MichelleVW]

boy, I feel like a bad mom here...that thought never once crossed my mind...

It doesn't make you a bad mom, it makes you a mom who doesn't play the "what if" game.

Sending your kids off in a car is scary, but if I trust the child to drive, I can't imagine not trusting her with her sister.

 

[Mermaid02]

It doesn't make you a bad mom, it makes you a mom who doesn't play the "what if" game.

Sending your kids off in a car is scary, but if I trust the child to drive, I can't imagine not trusting her with her sister.

Exactly if I was the at fault driver in a fatal accident- no matter who the fatality was, I could never forgive myself.

 

[Kae]

I want to say it was "enacted" in the last 8 years or so. I just turned 30 and it was not even a consideration when I got my license!

Changes were made in 2009... and I got the passenger thing wrong to, it may have been like that in the beginning, but I guess they figured that so many kids share rides to school, events, and sports, so they changed it.

Link:

Around here we say that is why the movie theatre always looks so busy,One car per one ticket.
OP sounds like it is more of a kids getting along then trusting of the driving. I would sit them both down & explain what the rules are.

Kae

 

[golfgal]

I let my oldest drive with her sister as soon as she got her license at 16. If I trusted her behind the wheel, why wouldn't I trust her with her sister in the car.

Exactly if I was the at fault driver in a fatal accident- no matter who the fatality was, I could never forgive myself.

I think anyone involved in an accident where someone died, at fault or not, will have a very hard time dealing with that at any age.

 

[DebD4T]

DS got his license at 17. He was immediatly put to work driving his sisters to and from dance.
He also drove DD15 to school every morning since their schools are nearby each other.
I would have had him drive DD12, but we have a carpool and I wasn't sure how the other families would feel about him (as a newly licensed driver) driving their children.
This past summer when he was 18, he drove himself and DD15 down to the Jersey shore for the week. (about a 2 hour drive on the Garden State Parkway) On the way home, he also drove DD15's friend who is also 15. (her parents knew about it and were ok with it)

Count me in as another parent who never thought about car accidents where a sibling may die

 

[Pooh Crew]

Exactly if I was the at fault driver in a fatal accident- no matter who the fatality was, I could never forgive myself.

To me, knowing that she caused a fatal or even life-altering accident would be different than coming home every day to her sister's empty room or experiencing every holiday with that person missing and knowing you are responsible.

Again, I'm certainly not criticizing those who do, I'm just explaining what MY personal thought process was. I wasn't ever paranoid about it, but for us, there was never a need for our oldest to drive around our younger ones. I have a dear friend who is a single mom of five and the day hers turn 16 and have their license, they are the designated driver of anyone younger. It's just what she has to do. I say do what works for your family and your individual child!

 

[yellowlabforever]

My parents found it a relief when I started driving. We can start drivers ed at age 14 1/2, but I got my TELL (Which is a Graduated License Program) license the summer between Freshman and Sophomore year, so when I was around 15. I waited until the following year when I was 16 to get my full license, and ever since then I drove my sister (3 years younger than I am) to school until she could drive herself.

The thing a PP told about the younger siblings being the eyes and ears of the parents is so true. My sister bugged me to no end, especially after she just took drivers ed. She was a mini drivers-ed instructor

When she was ready to drive, my sister drove me and one of her friends to a main town 60 miles away. Now there were some interesting adventures that we had, but overall she did a great job. I think she was 15 at the time.