Parents driving for field trips?

[mattemma04]

Does it ever concern you when your kids are driven by others for field trips?
Do you sign a waiver to allow it? Does a parent driver submit any info like current license,driving record,insurance?

I know bus drivers are not perfect,and no belts on buses are an issue.My concern right now is about other parents driving kids to far off(2-4 hour to get there) places.


I see parents during drop off/pick up. Many parents drive to fast,or they are texting/talking on the cell while driving. I would not want my kids in that situation.Maybe they would not do that with other kids in the car,but if they do it with their own kids....

I have strict rules when I drive,and even then I know accidents can happen.Speeding and especially cell use has really increased accidents in our area.

I have thought about driving,but driving 2-4 hours to get to a place is not something I can do.And honestly I don't feel all that comfortable taking 4-7 kids.So either I keep my child home on those trip days,or I just hope she gets a good parent driver that day.

Just wondering what others do in these situations.

[Linda on the move]

our school uses only school buses for field trips, never parents.

For girl scout, parents take turn driving. I sign a wavier, I know the other moms, and I'm totally fine with it.

[ollyoxenfree]

Most field trips are by school bus, so it isn't usually an issue. The field trip permission form has an area that refers to permission to drive by car by a person approved by the school, but I haven't ever known that to happen EXCEPT when I have been the person to drive. On one occasion, there were 3 classes going to see a play in a theatre about 2 hours' drive away. The group was just a little too large, and they would have had to pay for a school bus for 5 kids. DS volunteered me to drive, since we had a van that could seat 7. The parents were contacted and gave permission about a month in advance of the trip.

Generally, though, most field trips are either school bus or public transit (frankly, a bit of nightmare too, since you have to make sure that the kids stick together).

[EFmom]

Our school only uses buses.

[Trac]

At DS's school, parents can drive their own children, but no other child, even if the other child's parents are riding in the same vehicle. A form has to be filled out ahead of time.

[dbsam]

I've never had anyone else drive my children plus we have very cumbersome carseats so I am not sure they would be installed properly. But...I've driven for every field trip so it has not been an issue. The furthest we've gone is 45 minutes one-way. We are given a sheet of rules before leaving for each trip and drive in a caravan. I've never seen anyone drive in an unsafe manner or use the phone while driving; I think everyone is extra cautious. One of the children I was driving did not have his carseat. I did not want to take him without one; luckily the school keeps extra carseats on hand for this situation and they were able to provide one for him.

The number of parent volunteers has never been limited so we always have more than enough drivers. On every trip there have been one or two parents who drive only their own children – possibly because they are concerned with others driving their children or sometimes because they have somewhere else to go directly from the trip location. (At my sister’s school they limit volunteers so she is sometimes forced to have someone else drive her children or she must keep them home.)

[Alyantavid]

DS1's school only ever uses buses for field trips.

DS2's preschool (and ds1's former preschool) usually does 1 field trip per year and parents do drive. I always volunteer to chaperone and drive my own kid and a few others. I do have a couple extra car seats so the other kids use those.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by Trac

At DS's school, parents can drive their own children, but no other child, even if the other child's parents are riding in the same vehicle. A form has to be filled out ahead of time.

Same here.

[StephandOwen]

So far, all field trips for ds have been on a bus. If there was a field trip with a parent driving him in a car I would refuse to allow it. I would either drive him myself, dp would drive or ds would stay home.

[itsmyturn]

Our district only uses busses, parents are not even allowed to drive their kids unless they check out early, which means you can drive them home from the field trip.

I would not let my child ride with another parent unless I knew them well. I would make arrangements to drive myself.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by mattemma04

Does it ever concern you when your kids are driven by others for field trips?
Do you sign a waiver to allow it? Does a parent driver submit any info like current license,driving record,insurance?

When we sign the permission slip for the fieldtrip it includes mode of transportation--- bus or parent. Either way you are signing off.

To drive you have to be a volunteer (so have had a background check) and have submitted your driver paperwork--- license, no tickets in the last three years & proof of insurance.

[kimellett]

I watched a bus driver doing something on his cell yesterday as he was pullling out of the parking lot...???

[Drummer's Wife]

Our schools also only use buses. Putting them in other parents' vehicles would freak me out too much (as would driving around a classmate myself - I am not the best driver, and that seems like a lot of liability).

ETA: in your situation, I would drive my own child only - they can't require you to be a driver of others. That way your kid doesn't have to miss out on field trips. They can't be that frequent, so I'd just plan for it.

[CarrieMF]

most of the field trips are either walking or bussed. For some sports though(5/6 boys do soccer, 5/6 girls do floor hockey) the parents take the kids. The parents who are driving kids other than their own have to give insurance & vehicle information.

[One_Girl]

Our schools use buses or they walk, but that really limits how many field trips they can go on. Maybe you can talk to the principle about putting in place some volunteer driver guidelines and requiring a background check before being allowed to volunteer. Many schools have volunteer guidelines and require background checks anyways.

[Tigerchild]

In our district k-2 students may only ride on buses for field trips (parent chaperones may ride on the busses too, but no little sibs).

For grades 3+, it's by choice if you want to charter a district bus or coordinate drivers. If you want to coordinate drivers, each driver must have a volunteer form/background check on file, as well as providing proof of insurance (photocopy of current insurance). They are also held to a higher standard with the background check (for example, someone with a DUI conviction probably would be allowed to volunteer in their child's class--but they would be banned from driving. I believe you are banned from driving if you have any points on your license at all, which means if you've gotten a ticket in the last 7 years or whatever, you will not be driving anyone but your own kid). Children are required to have their own, labeled, car seat. They may not "borrow" from the driver of the vehicle or the school. If they don't have a car seat and they are 8 and under, then they will not be allowed to go on the field trip. Drivers are required to have cell phones, to submit those phone numbers to the office, and sign a (admittedly honor-system) form indicating they understand the behavior expectations (no talking on the phone/texting while vehicle is in motion, obeying all traffic laws, no stopping anywhere but at the school at at the destination--so no stops at starbucks drive through or mickey dee's for instance--ect.).

Our district also authorizes teachers to use public transportation (city buses) for the field trips as well, provided the chaperone/student ratio is correct.

Lots of classes choose parent drivers because they don't want to pay $200-300 in transportation costs (bus + gas) or that would break their field trip budget, and because a lot of parents FREAK at the thought of their kids riding a city bus (even with parent chaperones).

I think our district has a pretty nice set of policies around field trip drivers though. Probably it's a little heavy handed for some people's tastes, but at least they're making an effort to ensure that all legally-required carseats are provided, they do look more closely at the background check, ect.

And as a parent you *always* have the option of driving your child or picking who your child can ride with.

[Linda on the move]

Our school does not budget money for background checks on volunteers. Instead, volunteers are never alone with students.

[kittykat2481]

DS is only 2, but at his preschool the parents drive. Usually everyone with a mini-van volunteers. DS's class only does one field trip a year though, and it is in May. I've seen the older kids going on their trips though. Of course we don't have a van, but I'm still not comfortable with him going with someone else on his first field trip. Honestly, I full plan to be there to experience it with him, so I might as well drive him. Even though I know most of the other parents, I'd still rather take him myself. Not sure what I'll do when he's older and has to take a bus. Probably pray A LOT. lol

[dbsam]

Originally Posted by Linda on the move

Our school does not budget money for background checks on volunteers. Instead, volunteers are never alone with students.

At our school all volunteers must have background checks but they are paid for by the parents. If a family is unable to pay, our PAC has money set aside to pay for some background checks.

[AllyRae]

DS's son has no buses, so all field trips are parent-driven. Because I have 2 other kids, I can't drive on field trips (Almost everyone in DS's class requires carseats due to the new Ohio law, and I can't fit any more seats in my car). I have no problem letting DS ride with parents--the teachers and parents all drive and if one car went off the road or detoured, the other parents and teachers would be all.over.that.

The one thing I do wish is that his school required all parents to have a background check. Parents are in the building all the time, volunteer, and drive, but not one of them has a background check (well, I do, but because I volunteer with our church, and they required it.)