A parent-teen driving contract works because it forces the conversation before the keys change hands, not after a close call. Print the template below, fill in the blanks together, and both of you sign it. Teens follow rules they helped write far more reliably than rules announced from the passenger seat.

Parent-Teen Driving Contract

We agree to the following rules for driving. We both sign this contract freely and understand what it says.

1. Safety basics (non-negotiable)

  • Everyone belts up, every ride, every seat.
  • No phone use while driving - not at red lights, not on speaker in hand.
  • No alcohol, cannabis, or any impairing substance, ever.
  • No driving after 11 p.m. without prior parent approval.

2. Passengers

For the first 6 months of licensed driving, I will carry no more than ______ non-family passengers. (Crash risk rises sharply with each teen passenger.)

3. Destinations and routes

I will tell a parent where I am going, with whom, and when I will return. Approved areas: ______________________________.

4. The safe-ride promise

If I am ever in a situation where getting home safely is a problem - a driver who has been drinking, a ride that fell through - I will call a parent, at any hour, and we will pick me up with no questions asked that night. We will talk about it the next day, calmly.

5. Consequences we agree to in advance

  • Breaking rule 1: keys for ______ days/weeks.
  • Breaking rule 2 (passengers): keys for ______ days/weeks.
  • A ticket or at-fault crash: keys for ______ days/weeks, plus a review meeting.

6. What parents agree to

  • We will model the same rules we set: no phone use, no speeding.
  • We will not punish honesty. Calling for help will never be punished.
  • We will review this contract together every ______ months.

Teen signature: ______________________ Date: ____________

Parent signature: ______________________ Date: ____________

Why each clause matters

  • Passenger limits: with one teen passenger, a new driver's fatal-crash risk roughly doubles; with three, it triples or more.
  • The safe-ride promise: the single most important clause. It gives your teen a pre-approved escape hatch from a bad ride.
  • Parent modeling: teens copy what you do, not what you say. If you text at red lights, the rule is already dead.

Next steps for permit season

Track supervised hours with our driving-hours log, and see whether a GPS tracker makes sense for your family - and what it means for your teen's insurance.