Youth Driving Youth

We have a situation where a young man just got his drivers license. He lives in a remote area and lives right down the street from several other young men that need rides. Is it appropriate for him to give them rides to YM/YW meetings? I cannot find anything in the handbook concerning youth driving youth to church meetings. He is not 18. I have always been told that youth cannot drive youth unless they are siblings. Is this anywhere in the handbook? I could not find anything.

Regards!

DSpray wrote:I cannot find anything in the handbook concerning youth driving youth to church meetings. He is not 18. I have always been told that youth cannot drive youth unless they are siblings. Is this anywhere in the handbook? I could not find anything.

No, it is not in the General Handbook, but it is a common local policy. Parental approval is required for all youth activities and only insured adults drive to activities outside the local area. Those are the Handbook guidelines.

The situation you describe would be a matter for parents to decide and the bishop may well have counsel for them to consider. Would the parents of the new driver want their own children to ride with him? How are they getting to the church now? A better solution might be for parents to take turns carpooling to mutual activities.

I would be very uncomfortable allowing my children to ride with a newly licensed teenage driver. Convenience would not override that decision.

Some states have a graduated licensing system that would preclude what you are describing. In those states, there are restrictions imposed on newly licensed drivers that may restrict who they are allowed to have as passengers, how many passengers they are allowed to have, and when they are allowed to drive. You may want to check and see if that applies in your state.

As lajackson said, transportation to and from a Church activity is a matter for the parents to decide.

For those of us with early-morning seminary (where the church building or meeting place is miles from the various High Schools in the ward), this is often an "anxiously-awaited" occasion, for parents who either would rather not, or really cannot, drive to/from seminary every morning. And it's always a matter the parents decide, gratefully the GHB provides this flexibility. I think Bishops respect parental decisions unless they feel they need to intercede (physical/emotional/etc safety).

Section 20.6.24 of the Handbook says, "When Church groups travel in private passenger vehicles, each vehicle should be in safe operating condition, and each person should use a seat belt. Each driver should be a licensed, responsible adult."

gsbbyu wrote:Section 20.6.24 of the Handbook says, "When Church groups travel in private passenger vehicles, each vehicle should be in safe operating condition, and each person should use a seat belt. Each driver should be a licensed, responsible adult."

Nice find. However, reading the section as a while, it appears to apply to travel that is part of the activity. Such as "Meet at the Chapel for rides to the ward's temple day". This thread involves carpooling to/from church. There seems to be a lot of wiggle room to decide if this applies or not. I'd imagine a lot of it depends on how much of the carpooling is organized by the church and how much is organized by the youth and parents.

So I recently got my license and take my fellow young woman to the church or a house for our activities. I understand that I can’t take them from the church while we are still doing an activity, but an I allowed to take them home?

Bookin715 wrote: Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:59 pm So I recently got my license and take my fellow young woman to the church or a house for our activities. I understand that I can’t take them from the church while we are still doing an activity, but am I allowed to take them home?

As has been posted earlier, this would be a matter for parents to decide, in accordance with local state laws for new drivers. Taking youth home would fall into the same category as taking them to the activity.

In my state with rare exceptions, a new driver cannot drive with passengers who are not family members until they have had their license for at least one year. Some states do not have these restrictions for new drivers.

Hi,

I have a question I am the primary secretary and I give 2 little ones a ride but they have a older sister that is in the youth. Am I able to give them all a ride? I am wondering since I was told that I could only pick up the Primary kids and not the young woman since I wasn’t in the youth presidency. They also mentioned that each presidency is responsible for picking up the children or youth that needs a ride. They also mentioned this was in the handbook which I have searched and can’t find any information about this.

Warmest Regards,

I recommend you start with your bishop. There may be local policies he is aware of. I also recommend you review the guidelines here as appropriate to your situation: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/cal ... s?lang=eng

Specific travel guidelines for activities are in General Handbook 20.7.7.

I also recommend you review the guidelines here...

I hadn't seen that page, and noticed it seems to not be updated with the current Handbook references. I imagine it's quite likely the exact same info, but in different subsections -- although there could also be new info in the updated GHB that isn't reflected in the main Safety page.

Just another example of the multitude of Church resources that are lagging in getting synced with all the recent Handbook changes. Documentation most of the time is playing catch-up to implementation, but as noted here on the Forum, sometimes the Church says something that hasn't quite been implemented yet! As anyone with experience knows, keeping docs up-to-date is a herculean (and usually thankless) effort. Glad it's not my job!

I just had a question... Our ward has always said there was a rule against youth driving youth home from activities but I can’t find that anywhere in the handbook. I looked at the reply’s above but I was wondering what thoughts were on an 18 year old girl driving younger girls home from an activity. For context the leaders wanted the girls to walk home in the rain because there were not enough adults to take home the girls. I (18 year old YW president) offered to take girls home but was told they couldn’t go with me because there was a “rule” against it. They made the girls walk home in the rain alone without any adults. Should I have been allowed to drive girls home?

I believe the relevant section is 20.7.7 of the General Handbook. "When Church groups travel in private passenger vehicles, each vehicle must be in safe operating condition. Each person should use a seat belt. Each driver should be a licensed, responsible adult."

One could have fun debating if a 18 year old YW president (which is part of the Youth group) is considered a "youth" or an "adult". <grin>

On a different subject, as a 18 year old "working with youth" it might be wise to take the children and youth protection training as outlined in 20.7.1. (if that's not already a thing.)