Summerês Coming: Know Your Teen Driving Rules
With the end of the school year just a few weeks away, dealers looking to hire teens for the summer (or anytime) should remember the 1998 Drive for Teen Employment Act that expands the workplace driving privileges of teens, but still sets the following limits for on-the-job driving:
Employees who are 16 years old may not drive on public roads, but may drive on dealership property.
Employees who are 17 years old may drive on public roads while on-the-job if they:
hold a valid state driverês license, and have no record of moving violations at the time of hire;
have completed a state-approved driver education course;
have been instructed that seat belts must be worn.
The motor vehicle driven by the teen must:
not exceed 6,000 pounds gross vehicle weight;
be equipped with a seat belt;
not be used for towing.
The driving of this motor vehicle is permitted if it is:
restricted to daylight hours;
within a 30-mile radius of the dealership;
occasional and incidental, (i.e.) no more than 1/3 of an employeeês work time on a daily basis nor more then 20% of an employeeês work time per week.
While dealers may not employ 17 year olds as delivery or shuttle drivers, the law allows limited daily trips for delivery and passenger transport:
Up to two trips may be made to deliver an employerês goods to a customer. The delivery of a vehicle is not subject to this limitation.
Transporting of persons is limited to 3 passengers (including other employees).
Transporting non-employee passengers is limited to two trips a day.
Certain types of deliveries are restricted (i.e.) no route deliveries, route sales, urgent or time-sensitive deliveries, or for-hire transportation of property, goods or passengers.
A violation of the Drive for Teen Employment Act can result in a fine of up to $10,000. On-the-job driving by employees 18 and older is not regulated.
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