Summer’s fast approaching, and school is almost out. Lots of teenagers are looking for work. Here are some guidelines to follow if any of those kids you are hiring will be driving on the job.
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These are the federal requirements. Be sure to check with your state to see if there are stricter laws concerning teen drivers.
Must Be 17 or Older
To begin with, if any of your teen employees are 16 years old or younger, they may not drive motor vehicles on public roads as part of their jobs. This holds true even if they possess a valid state driver’s license.
17—OK Under Limited Circumstances
Your teen employees who are 17 years old may drive automobiles and small trucks on public roads as part of their jobs only in limited circumstances.
Seventeen-year-olds may drive on the job ONLY if all of these six requirements are met:
- The on-the-job driving is limited to daylight hours;
- The 17-year-old holds a state license valid for the type of driving involved on the job;
- The 17-year-old has successfully completed a state-approved driver’s education course and has no record of moving violations at the time of hire;
- The car or truck has seat belts for the driver and any passengers, and the teen has been instructed by you, as the employer, that the seat belts must be used;
- The car or truck does not exceed 6,000 pounds in weight; and
- The driving is only occasional and incidental to the 17-year-old’s employment. That is, 17-year-olds may spend no more than one-third of the workday and no more than 20% of the workweek driving.
17—What They May Not Do
Driving by 17-year-olds as part of their jobs may not involve:
- Towing vehicles;
- Route deliveries or route sales;
- Transportation for hire of property, goods, or people;
- Urgent, time-sensitive deliveries (e.g., pizza deliveries);
- Transporting more than three passengers, including any of your other employees;
- Driving beyond a 30-mile radius of the teen’s place of employment;
- More than two trips away from the primary place of employment in a single day; and
- More than two trips away from the primary place of employment in a single day to transport passengers other than other employees.
Why the Concern About Teen Drivers
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), crash rates for young drivers are high. In the United States, the fatal crash rate per mile driven for 16- to 19-year-olds is nearly three times the rate for drivers aged 20 and over. Risk is highest at ages 16 and 17. A total of 2,715 teenagers aged 13 to 19 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2015.
When it comes to distracted driving, young people are among the most likely to text and talk behind the wheel. According to OSHA, 16% of all distracted driving crashes involved drivers under the age of 20. In addition, 10% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.