New driver - parental controls

[Pantsnomore]

DS has just passed his test. As well as the minefield / expense of getting him insurance I was wondering if any providers have a parental control setting that will only allow him to be insured for journeys we have approved. Google not helping me out.

For your child's sake, I sincerely hope not! 🫣

Some insurers have restrictions on late night driving carrying other teenagers and a device recording the speed. I do not think your approval is a practical option.

Goodness, I’ve never heard of this. Why would you want to do this?

He's 17/18 why would any company come up with a policy to let someone control an adult

Wtf.

Wow I should hope they don't. I know that some policies come with restrictions such as a curfew etc. however I doubt any would have parental controls.

Such a thing would be controlling to an unreasonable degree. The person is either an adult or very nearly about to be one. They have the right to make their own decisions, and not have where they go controlled by overbearing parents.

Does he have his own car?

1. he’s 17 so not an adult
2. it’s our car
3. whether there is an app or not I’d expect him to ask for our approval
4. there are additional reasons for asking that I’m not going to disclose here.

Don't let him drive your car then!

You can get policies with restrictions about driving times, but nothing (that I'm aware of) that has parental permission. It's too much of a grey area to insure id imagine!

Op if you feel you need control to that degree then just don't let them use your car! Presumably you'd only give them the keys for a an 'approved' trip so your parental control is controlling the keys to your car.

Not that I have come across. DD has insurance as a named driver on our car which can be stopped and started but the minimum period you can buy is 24 hours, and it works out more expensive buying it in 5 x 24 hour chunks than 5 days in a block.

There is a crime of taking without owner's consent, but surely you could argue that insuring someone to drive a car implies consent to use it.

Honestly, if you can't trust him the should be really be behind the wheel?!

So you're worried he would take your car out without permission?

Have you considered just using something like Veygo from admiral? It's insurance you can put on by the hour/day, so you could just put it on when you agree to let him borrow the car.

Did he pay for his own lessons and test or did you pay for it?

If it was your money, then why on earth did you let him learn to drive if you don't actually trust him to drive???

If it was his money, then he needs to keep saving, get his own car and insurance and move away from his overly controlling parents asap!

Well, surely the answer to that is not to let him drive your car in the first place?

So what happens if he takes the car on an 'unapproved' trip??? Sounds like your suggesting he would then be driving without insurance which is obviously illegal

If it's your car then of course he had to ask for permission or it would be TWOC. You shouldn't need an app for that though, if he's old enough to drive he's old enough to ask.

I also think that if you need so much control then maybe it isn't right for him to drive your car. He'll have to work and save up for his own.

Thanks that’s helpful. Will check it out.

Veygo is useful and most insurers allow temporary additional drivers but if he's using the car regular this will work out very expensive. It also doesn't dictate where he can drive.

If he's insured he's insured whether you tell
Him he can't go here or there or not.
As previous posters have said either trust him or don't. If you don't then don't let him use your car.

But even with veygo they are just insured to drive the car within the period paid for. The insurance won't restrict where that journey is. Once your DS has driven off you can't control where he is, or who he is with.
We use it for DD at the moment as she only uses DHs car when home from uni.

If you are concerned about taking the car without permission, I strongly advise locking the keys away. You say there's other reasons, but in my opinion, if he isn't trustworthy enough to ask before taking the car he really shouldn't be on the road.

Sorry but this suggestion is ridiculous; If you don't trust him not to take the car to places he's been asked not go to, then do you actually trust him not to go out in it anyway, even with no insurance?!

Imagine: you tell him not to go somewhere and withhold insurance for that trip. He goes anyway, uninsured! There are no winners in this scenario.

Driving is a privilege, a privilege for teens who invariably have their motoring subsidised in some way by their parents, but all drivers also owe it to their local community and other road users to drive sensibly, responsibly and within the law. If he can't be trusted to do this, he shouldn't be behind a wheel.

That’s ok. This isn’t really about ‘control’ and might be something we don’t opt for. But equally don’t want to enable carte-blanche to start with - would rather build up trust/ demonstrate trust earned.