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The parents have the title. To me, that implies the parents own the car?
Well, depending on the state, under 18 you can't enter into a contract and buy your own car. At age 17, I bought my own car that I paid my own money for, but since I was under 18, the dealership wouldn't enter into a contract with me. I had to fork over the cash, but my dad technically bought the car.
When I turned 18, he signed the title over to me and it was officially in my name.
Anyway, with regard to the OP, since your daughter is 18, I would sign over the title and let her hold the insurance policy. However, she did managed to save up for the repairs and does show effort in being responsible, but perhaps as parents you could gift her the course to try and make her a little safer.
In fact, rather than a classroom course, find yourself a defensive driving course with actual seat time in a car with cones and other driving scenarios and an instructor.
I'd spring for driving lessons of some sort. My number one concern would be her safety, not who owns the car or who pays for the class. My son is 18 and not licensed quite yet; I told him that I'd pay for some professional driving lessons before he takes his test. He thinks it would be a waste of money (because he knows everything, as most 18 year olds do), so I'll pay for it to hopefully increase his skills and safety behind the wheel.
I'd spring for driving lessons of some sort. My number one concern would be her safety, not who owns the car or who pays for the class. My son is 18 and not licensed quite yet; I told him that I'd pay for some professional driving lessons before he takes his test. He thinks it would be a waste of money (because he knows everything, as most 18 year olds do), so I'll pay for it to hopefully increase his skills and safety behind the wheel.
That's a great intention and gift to him... I'd like to suggest getting a referral for someone known to be good at teaching what the intended purpose is, here. There are very few classes and teachers that are appropriately tough, but professional. In any line of tutoring. Perhaps ask parent-friends or, when you call to arrange it, ask for someone who is known for being a little tough. As a default, most are too soft. And you can be soft on him for free. He'll sense it too, and think he was even MORE right and maybe be amused that you're being had. (I have eight brothers. I know the attitude. :P )
Six months ago our 18 year old daughter got into a fender bender only 3 months after getting her license. It didn’t involve another car or driver so we didn’t report it to insurance. She swerved to avoid hitting an animal and jammed her front wheel into the curb, causing about $1500 worth of damage to her car. Hubby and I helped her with half the cost of the repairs, but told her all future accidents would be her responsibility. When the 2nd fender bender happened less than 4 months later, we told her she’d have to save up for the repairs and that the car would sit in the driveway until she had the full amount. This 2nd accident was her fault and involved another driver, but there was no damage to his car and he didn’t want to report it. Neither did we so it would stay off of our daughter’s driving record and our insurance wouldn’t go up. We removed her as a driver from our policy and she’s been getting around through a combination of us, Lyft, and friends.
Fast forward 6 months. She’s been saving steadily for the repairs and will have the full amount in about a month. We suggested she take a refresher driving course since she was barely licensed when she had this accident and she hasn’t driven at all in 6 months. She doesn’t want to pay for a driving course since it took her this long to save for the repairs. However, we hold the title on the car, which we would have to sign over to her before she can get insurance. Now that she’s an adult, she will be getting her own insurance policy because she’s become to much of a risk for us to add her back to our policy.
We’re considering forcing the driving refresher course by making it a condition of us signing over the car title to her. As a typical 18 year old, she tends to be a bit impulsive and I’m concerned there will be another fender bender or worse if she doesn’t get some practice before fully getting behind the wheel again. We’ve told her that paying for the class is her responsibility, one of the unintended consequences of being careless with the car. She thinks the refresher course is a waste of her time and money and just wants to jump back into driving.
What do you think of our condition? Is it reasonable? Or should we turn over the title to her and let her make whatever mistakes she’s going to make now that she’s an adult? For the record, the car is actually hers, she paid for it with her own money when she was 17, but our insurance company required the title to be in our names since she was on our policy at that time.
I would put a blocker on her phone to be honest. It is possible she is driving distracted. You can put blockers on so she cannot get on social media or text if the car is moving more than 5mph. 2 accidents in 6 or so months is a lot.
I would put a blocker on her phone to be honest. It is possible she is driving distracted. You can put blockers on so she cannot get on social media or text if the car is moving more than 5mph. 2 accidents in 6 or so months is a lot.
Under what law do the parents have a right to block her phone when she is an adult? Also if she has an accident or some other emergency and needs her phone?
I think the parents need to turn the title over to her since it is her car. I am not sure the driving classes will help but if they want to pay for it and if she is willing to go that's fine.
I would put a blocker on her phone to be honest. It is possible she is driving distracted. You can put blockers on so she cannot get on social media or text if the car is moving more than 5mph. 2 accidents in 6 or so months is a lot.
IDK...its pretty normal for a kid her age and driving experience. And it has been for a long time.
Some people can drive, some cannot, there are people with decades of experience that still get into these fender bender things and have a history of doing so, while others never had one (regarding their fault).
I got into 2 accidents within a week of each other when I was a teen. I haven't had any others since then. One accident was from hitting a piece of tire on the highways and the other was misjudging another driver's speed. I wasn't a bad driver, I was just inexperienced.
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He'll sense it too, and think he was even MORE right and maybe be amused that you're being had. (I have eight brothers. I know the attitude. :P )
