Safe Driving Rules

  1. All drivers in any crew activity must adhere to BSA driving rules, which include:
    • All passengers must wear seat belts
    • The vehicle should be in safe, operable condition
    • Headlights should be used at all times while driving
    • In any trip more than two hours in length, drivers must stop for a rest break every two hours. Driving time cannot exceed 10 hours in a 24-hour period.
    • No youth may be carried in the bed of any pickup truck
    • All drivers must carry liability insurance for their vehicles
    • Drivers should obey traffic laws, including posted speed limits
  2. Any youth member 16 or older may drive on a Venture activity, provided:
    • The youth is licensed and has no violations or accidents charged to his/her record.
    • The youth has the permission of his/her parents.
    • A youth 16 but not yet 17 may carry a maximum of 1 passenger who is not a family member on any Venture activity, provided they have the written permission of both the driver’s and passenger’s parents.
    • A youth 17 but not yet 18 may carry a maximum of two passengers who are not family members on any Venture activity, provided they have the written permission of both the drivers’ and passengers’ parents.
    • A youth 18 but not yet 21 may carry a maximum of three passengers who are not family members on any Venture activity, provided they have the written permission of both the drivers’ and passengers’ parents.
    • Crew adult leaders may further restrict the number of passengers a youth driver may carry.
    • Youth drivers cannot use cell phones while driving, though passengers in the car can.
    • Youth drivers cannot eat while driving.
  3. Seat belts shall be worn by all vehicle occupants. At any trip stop, the president or ranking officer doing a head count of youth members in cars shall also check to be sure all occupants are in seat belts. Drivers are also responsible to be sure occupants are in seat belts, that sufficient seat belts exist and that they operate correctly.
  4. Drivers coming to or going from any Venture activity or any Venture trip must report any accident immediately to the senior adult leader of the crew.
  5. Drivers on any Venture activity shall ensure they are in good health to drive and not under the influence of any medication or other substance.
  6. Any driver needing rest shall notify the senior adult leader on the trip. Drivers should ensure that they are not sleepy before beginning a trip.
  7. No driver who has had his/her license suspended shall be permitted to drive on any Venture activity.
  8. Drivers on any Venture activity shall refrain from any unsafe driving actions, such as tailgating, aggressive or reckless driving, changing lanes without use of signals or driving too fast for conditions.
  9. All passengers on any Venture activity are encouraged to report any driver’s unsafe driving actions to the senior adult leader on the trip.
  10. Drivers on any Venture trip are encouraged to use turn signals. Each driver on a trip shall be provided with directions to the destination beforehand so that vehicles are not required to be in constant sight of each other. On any trip involving multiple cars and youth drivers, adult drivers will be in the lead and last vehicles.
  11. Youth drivers who, in the eyes of adult crew leaders, drive in an unsafe manner may be suspended from further crew driving until such time as it can be shown their driving has improved.
  12. Any accident or violation which occurs during any Venture activity shall be reviewed by the adult crew committee, which may issue recommendations or suspend drivers – adult or youth – from further participation as a driver on Venture events.
  13. All drivers on any Venture activity shall be provided with a copy of the crew’s Safe Driving Rules.

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