When Nannies Use Their Cars to Drive the Kids

Each day many nannies drive the children to and from activities in their own vehicles without second thought, but when it comes to transporting children for work if it’s not carefully thought through, it can be risky business.

Whether you’re a parent searching for a nanny willing to use her own vehicle for transporting the kids, or a nanny who currently transports the children in her vehicle, there are a few things worth considering before you continue.

1. Nanny’s Driving Record. Before allowing a nanny to transport the children, a thorough review of her driving record is in order. Being aware of a nanny’s driving history can help parents make an educated and informed decision about letting the nanny transport their kids. Nannies who transport children should always drive responsibly and strive to maintain an untarnished record, since in addition to being the right thing to do, a driving record may be used in hiring consideration.
2. Vehicle Condition. The vehicle used to transport the children should be safe and properly maintained. Vehicles should be able to pass regular inspection and undergo regular maintenance. All safety belts and other safety devices should be working properly and the vehicle should not be in need of repair.
3. Automobile Insurance. Nannies should confirm with their automobile insurance agent that their policy covers transporting children for work. If it doesn’t the additional coverage should be added. Typically, there will be a small increase in premium to secure the appropriate coverage. Parents will often cover or split the cost of increasing policy coverage for work.
4. Car Seats. The nanny should have appropriate car seats properly installed for each child. Resist the urge to move seats back and forth between the parents and nanny’s vehicle to prevent installation errors. Nannies should have the car seat installations inspected by a Certified Passenger Safety Technician. Visit www.cert.safekids.org to connect with one of the several certified techs in the Houston area.
5.  Reimbursement. Nannies should be reimbursed for using the vehicle on the job. The IRS standard mileage reimbursement rate, effective January 1, 2019, is 58 cents per mile. This reimbursement covers gas and normal wear and tear and is only valid for miles used during work, not on commuting miles.

When parents provide the nanny a vehicle to use during working hours, they should be sure to add the nanny to their automobile policy as an additional insured driver and be sure a petty cash fund or other system is established to ensure that the vehicle always has gas.

Comments are closed.