To not let 15 year old drive my children around?

[Shabooboogaloo]

Just back from half term with family in USA.
Where they live 15 year olds can drive (!) due to crap local transport.
15 year old DN has been driving to school, around town etc for 6+ months and was apparently excited to get to take my kids (10 and 12) out in the car to the local coffee place a few miles away. On their own.

Now - if they were walking I would have let the 3 get on with it, go out together but there was NO WAY I was letting them go out in a SUV in a city on their own.

Had a quiet word with the mom to that effect. Everyone thought I was the ultimate buzzkill and a bit insulting to the 15 year old. my offer to go with them was shot down. The trip didn’t happen.

YABU - fun police! It would have been fine and the 15 year old would have been able to handle it sensibly.

YANBU - 15 is too young to be responsible for young passengers, too young to be in the roads alone in fact.

YANBU - I agree with you 100%.

Your kids your rules

I wouldn't have allowed it either.

Yabu. If you're safe to drive you're safe to drive, regardless of age. Assuming she is competent of course and responsible.

I wouldn't have let my children in a car with her. Far too risky.

Nope.
I'm with you.

YANBU. I’m hesitant of DD going in newly passed 17 year old’s cars! She’s just started driving - I do trust her but wouldn’t want small kids in the car with her due to distractions

YANBU, no way would i allow this!

If she passed her driving test and has a licence and car insurance then that's fine.

RedHelenB · Today 20:58

Yabu. If you're safe to drive you're safe to drive, regardless of age. Assuming she is competent of course and responsible.

Ever seen the stats on young drivers? Why do you think insurance for them is so high?!

Have you seen the standards of driving in America?!

It is a foreign country with different laws. Presumably this 15 year-old had already passed their driving test?

I don’t think I’d have been comfortable either, although logically they’re probably safer with a (sensible) 15 year old used to driving around the area than someone renting a car who has never driven on that side of the road before / doesn’t know US traffic conventions well.

Is she allowed to drive at 15 legally?
I can’t believe this 😮

Presumably she would not be insured either

YANBU

Not a chance in hell would I have allowed that. From a car safety perspective or from a 15 year old responsible for 10 and 12 year olds alone in city in foreign country perspective.

Depends on the 15 year old and the local roads and conditions.

Some 15 year olds might be safer than some 30 year olds. But if the 15 year old is legally driving and deemed safe by the rest of the family then I don't see what the problem is.

‘Yabu. If you're safe to drive you're safe to drive, regardless of age. Assuming she is competent of course and responsible.’

see I would argue that 15 isn’t safe to drive, particularly not in a big car, in a city - well suburbs of one. I’d worry how a child would react if there was an accident, emergency etc and I do consider 15 to be a child.

YANBU - in most states they are on a 'probationary' license for a period of time and aren't allowed to carry others in the car with them. Is she allowed to take passengers?

and was apparently excited to get to take my kids (10 and 12) out in the car

I'd be more inclined if she was deeply nervous & reluctant TBH.

Excited implies 'opportunity to show off'

On the face of it, there's no reason that as a driver a 15 year old with a license shouldn't be as competent as I was when I took my test at 23.
But I wouldn't have wanted a 15 year old responsible for my children in a place they don't know well and that I couldn't get to in a few minutes (so not a drive away!), so whether they are a safe driver or not wouldn't even come in to it.

YANBU. A 15 year old is a child, probably not mature enough to deal with some situations.

‘Is she allowed to drive at 15 legally?
I can’t believe this 😮’

I know! But that’s the US for you. Where they live you can’t get a pint of milk without getting in a car. It’s not the country either. Just no footpaths anywhere.

@pizzaHeart Yes, it is legal.

@CheshireDing Why would they not be insured?

I thought they had to be at least 16 to drive that’s why

ignore me re the insurance if they are legally allowed behind the wheel at that age

i still would not have put my DC in the car