Should I let my 16 year old drive around with the baby?

Question

My daughter just turned 16 and got her drivers license. She babysits my youngest every day while her sister goes to grandma. Should I put a car seat in my daughter's car and let her actually go places during the day (pool, store if needed, to get food, etc.). Its not so much that I don't trust my daughter with the baby its more that I don't trust the other people on the road.

Answer 1

I wouldn't let her:

take talk on her cell phone

have another teenager in the car

eat

speed

while driving.  i would set down these firm rules if she has the baby in the car (or drives at all, really) and then, yes, it is probably okay.  

but just be aware, it is much more likely for a teen to get in an accident than an adult.

Answer 2

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! ARE YOU CRAZY?!!  Teenage drivers are what cause most accidents on the road?!!!  I can't believe your actually a mother asking this question?!  She JUST turned 16 and JUST got her drivers license!?  I don't let my 19 year old sister take my daughter and she's been driving since she was 16.  Your ridiculous.

Answer 3

no u should not she is own 16 teen what about she gets in to a car crash because some guy hit she car something could happen to your baby and she what u should do is wait a till she get like 17 teen for she can get use to driveing cause the road is no joke.

Answer 4

You need to look at weather your daughter is a good defensive driver. Make sure she knows how the carseat goes in and that it needs to be in the back seat, in the middle. That way if she does get hit from the side, the child is not right at the door. If she's a good defensive driver, she knows what to do if a car does come at her or somthing, then I think she'll be fine. Just as long as it's just around town running errands.

Answer 5

In my humble opinion, NO!

Answer 6

My first, very strong urge, is to say no.

Kids with no experience behind the wheel should never have any passengers at all, as far as I'm concerned.

It's great that you trust your daughter to watch your baby, and definitely that you trust that she would be a good driver, who is responsible and follows the rules of the road.

However, an inexperienced driver will definitely NOT know how to react defensively and decisively on the road if the need be. Especially if there's a baby screaming in the backseat that's distracting her. Every parent knows how distracting a distressed child in the backseat can be, and we've had years of experience on the road!

This is definitely one responsibility you should NOT give your 16 year old. Can you imagine the guilt she would feel if (god forbid) something should happen? Shudder.

Let her gain some experience behind the wheel first.

Answer 7

No, a 16 year old is way too new to be out on the road driving with a child.  ANYTHING can happen.

Answer 8

Im 14 so some think Id say 'yeah let her drive, its ok'  but I think you should wait till shes had her liscense for like 6 months and see if she gets any tickets or accidents before she drives with an infant

Answer 9

I wouldn't. Sounds like a bad idea to me.

Answer 10

I am kinda gonna go with what everybody else is saying....If you trust her go for it.  I drove my kid sis and bro around when I was 16 and I think it actually made me a better driver because I obeyed the rules of the road MUCH better when I had that added responsibilty.  There was just something about having someone elses' life in your hands that made me drive much safer.  But like I said, that depends entirely on how much you trust her driving and how much you can trust her to put the baby in the carseat EVERYTIME she heads out.

Answer 11

I would let her get more experienced before I would take the chance of something happening to the both of them.. Of course she may be a good driver but like you stated in your question your worried about the other people on the road.. It doesn't matter if its day or night wrecks happen all the time.. I'd rather be safe than sorry.. I wrecked my dad's car one month after getting my license.. Hope this helps..

Answer 12

it really all depends on your trust of her driving...maybe before letting her take your child around go in the car with her an see how she really drives an pays attention. also let her know how big of a responsibility this is, make sure shes not texting while driving or on the phone or messing with the music while trying to drive, she has as my grandmother says hwhen shes in the car with me, you have precious cargo in here! but its just how you feel about it, listen to your mother instincts within you, hope this helped

Answer 13

I won't let my baby go with my 18 year old sister driving because you never know when someone will do something stupid.

Answer 14

No, I would let the 16 year old get some practice first. I got my license at 18 and it still took me a while to get used to driving enough that I wasn't nervous, It's now 8 years later and I am still VERY cautious whenever I take my niece and nephew anywhere, no radio, nothing.

Answer 15

I would not.  She JUST got her drivers license.  She has not been driving long enough to know what to do in every situation, nor does she know the vehicle well enough to know what to do in every situation.  This has nothing to do with trust and everything to do with lack of experience.

Answer 16

As most already said, it just isn't a good idea. I keep thinking about how kids by nature want to show off, and it's too easy for them to drive stupidly while driving around friends or whatever. Honestly, you may be worried about maybe hurting her feelings, but be sensible about the capabilities of a BRAND NEW driver, and would you want a 16 year old friend of your daughter's to drive around your baby if she JUST got her license?

Honestly, I have 3 small children (I'm 23) and would NEVER let someone under 21 drive my kids around, and they would have to have at least a few years of driving experience before I'd consider it...

Please, put your baby's safety before anything else! And as far as not trusting your daughter-there is nothing wrong with not trusting her. She just started driving. She's ONLY 16... please, be sensible...

Answer 17

I think I would let her get more driving experience first. Also, I wouldn't have her watching a baby on an every day basis. she does need time to go to the pool and be a teen and hang with friends. How about arranging for a sitter 3 days a week and have her babysit 2 days but she must stay at home.

Answer 18

I would say no, but I would leave her with a carseat in case of emergency.

Answer 19

I think you should trust your daughter and I think you should let her...but it is still your decision and if you feel that you want to make sure your baby is safe then dont let her...that is my opinion...well good luck and do what you feel is the right thing to do...=DDD

Answer 20

LOL. Yes precious cargo.  Remind her.  Aren't parents suppose to be in the car with the teen at that age?

Answer 21

like you said i would totally trust my daughter but i just wouldnt trust the rest of the world i wouldnt let her drive because she is sixteen and most probably new to driving right..... dont you wish that you could cover the world in bubble wrap?

Answer 22

No, you should not let her drive around with the baby