As a parent or carer, you play a vital role in setting safe boundaries when your teenager first starts driving.
That’s where Safe Start comes in.
It’s a family agreement that sets safe, shared boundaries for your new young driver. This allows your young driver to gain valuable experience before they’re exposed to the highest-risk situations.
You can do this together as a family.
1️⃣ Set the ground rules together
Use the Safe Start framework to agree clear expectations before your young driver takes to the road independently.
2️⃣ Download the template
Our ready-made agreement helps you cover key points like passengers, late-night driving, seatbelts, and mobile phones.
3️⃣ Keep it positive
This isn’t about stopping them driving but about giving them the safest start. By having rules agreed upfront, you’ll both feel more confident.
4️⃣ Review as they progress
As your young driver gains experience, you can revisit and adapt the agreement together, step by step. By phasing in these responsibilities gradually, young drivers avoid the riskiest situations early on, while still gaining independence.
Once your agreement has been made, this is where My Car, My Rules comes in.
This is the chance for your young driver to set their own rules for themselves and their passengers.
Together, Safe Start and My Car, My Rules create a stronger safety net, one led by the family and one led by your young driver - giving them the best start to a lifetime of safe driving.
Discuss realistic rules with your teenager before they start driving independently ✅
Start with stricter limits - for example, no peer aged passengers, no driving after 10pm ✅
Gradually ease restrictions as your young driver gains experience ✅
Model safe driving behaviour yourself ✅
The Safe Start plan outlines an agreement between parents/carers and their young drivers. Ideally, this agreement will be reviewed as a family on a monthly basis.
Fill in the form below to download the plan
Click the buttons below to discover answers to some of most frequently asked questions about young driver safety, as well as a host of useful advice and guidance for implementing Safe Start.
