Driving Contract: Safety Rules for Teen Drivers with ADHD
A simple agreement between you and your teen can help enforce rules, encourage responsibility and keep everyone safe.
Purposes and Principles
The purpose of this contract is to ensure the safety of (name of driver), hereinafter referred to as teen, who is a teenage driver who has ADHD. Teen acknowledges that driving is a responsibility and not a right. Teen also acknowledges that ADHD may cause distractibility and loss of concentration which may affect his/her ability to be a safe driver. This contract remains in effect until the teen the parent is satisfied that the teen is a safe and responsible driver.
Teen agrees to the following driving rules and regulations and also agrees that the parent (name of parent), hereinafter referred to as parent, may prohibit the teen from driving by either confiscating keys to the car or causing the teen’s license to be revoked if these rules are violated.
Rules and Conditions
Medication: Teen agrees not to drive without having taken medication for ADHD if such medication is indicated by a physician. Additional medication may be required for night driving. Use of ADHD medications that may cause drowsiness will be monitored closely. Teen will keep medication on hand and will carry in the glove box a doctor’s note regarding the presence of prescribed medication.
Destinations: Teen agrees to drive only between (fill in destinations such as home, school, practice, lessons) unless express permission to drive elsewhere is given by the parent. Teen will keep parent informed of whereabouts.
School: Teen agrees to maintain a grade point average of __ .
[Free Download: Evaluate Your Teen’s Emotional Control]
Curfew: Teen agrees to abide by curfews:__ p.m. on school nights and __ p.m. on other nights.
Planning: Teen agrees to plan each trip beforehand by verifying directions, checking for adverse conditions such as snow, and keeping a log of all trips. The log should include the destination, time of departure, time of arrival, any external difficulties such as traffic or road conditions, and internal difficulties such as distraction triggers. Teen agrees to make the log available to parents, and on request to discuss each driving experience with parents for the first six months.
Graduated Time Privileges: Teen agrees to drive only during daylight hours for three months, and during those three months agrees to practice night driving with the parent or a responsible adult of the parent’s choosing for a total of twenty hours. If night driving skills are not acceptable to the parent after this period, the parent may extend this restriction until satisfactory skills are demonstrated.
Passengers: Teen agrees to drive with no passengers in the car for the first three months unless express permission of the parent is obtained. If the teen demonstrates safe driving after three months, one passenger may be allowed but only if the passenger is approved by the parent for an indefinite period according to the parent’s judgment. Following this period, a maximum of two passengers may be allowed. Passengers must always ride in the back seat. The parent reserves the right to revoke all passenger privileges if unsafe driving is observed.
Safety: Both parties agree that mistakes are a part of learning, and that mistakes not due to gross negligence are to be expected during the initial driving period. However, teen agrees to abide by all safety rules including wearing a seat belt at all times and being responsible for passengers wearing their seat belts; agrees not to drive above the posted speed limit under any circumstances; and agrees to check that all equipment such as mirrors, lights, and brakes are in good working order. Parent agrees to pay for the repair of all safety related items.
[Free Download: Driving Contract Template]
Infractions: Teen agrees not to drive for one week in the event of a minor moving violation, such as failure to signal; and not to drive for one month in the event of a major moving violation such as speeding or running red lights. Teen agrees to be responsible for all fines and fixes involving non-moving violations such as parking tickets or missed inspections; and if such fines and fixes are not attended to in a timely fashion, driving privileges will be forfeited for one month.
Telephone Use: Teen agrees to use a cellular telephone only for emergencies; and also agrees to pull of the road and to stop whenever making or accepting cell phone calls. The parent will inspect all cellular telephone logs to ensure compliance.
Music: Teen agrees to pre-set radio stations and to the use of these pre-set stations only when driving; and if a CD or tape player is used, to bring only one CD or tape per trip, and to insert the CD and/or tape in the player before the beginning of each trip.
Impairment: Parent agrees to provide transportation without question at any time if the teen is impaired by alcohol or other substances, fatigue, or any other condition. However, repeated incidents of this nature, particularly in the case of alcohol or substances, may activate the clause below.
Substance Abuse and Other Unsafe Social Behavior: There is zero tolerance for substance abuse and for unsafe or raucous social behavior that might lead to an accident. Substance abuse of any kind, or driving under the influence of any substance, will result in immediate suspension of driving privileges. Illicit substances used or held by teen’s passengers will result in suspension of driving privileges for three months.
Teen agrees to random searches by parents of car for evidence of substance use. Parent agrees to provide without question transportation for teen at any time of the day or night that the teen requests it, without penalizing the teen for single incidents of alcohol or substance use which may have contributed to that request. If there are habitual or frequent incidents of underage drinking or if any substance abuse occurs, teen will forfeit his/her license to drive until completing a substance abuse program, whether or not his/her substance abuse is related to driving.
Signed (teen driver) –
Date –
Signed (parent) –
Date –
SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.
