Scenario:

First Church is planning a trip to a youth event across the state with fifteen minors and six adults traveling in church-owned vehicles. Among the adults, three are college students under 21 years old. Who should be allowed to drive church-owned vehicles on this trip?

Answer:

Only drivers who have successfully completed a church transportation application and passed a background check should be allowed to drive church-owned or church-rented vehicles.

Suggested Guidelines for Selecting Drivers:

1. Age Requirement: Must be over 21 years of age.

2. Driving Record: Must have no more than one at-fault accident in the last three years.

3. Violation History: Must have no reckless driving violation on their driving record in the last five years.

4. Proper Licensing: Must be properly licensed for the type of vehicle being driven.

5. Application and Screening: Must complete a Driver Application and Screening Form.

6. Adherence to Laws: Must abide by all traffic laws, rules, and regulations.

Additional Rules for Church-Sponsored Trips:

• Church-owned vehicles may only be used for church-approved activities, and vehicle reservations must be approved prior to each trip.

• One driver is sufficient for round trips involving less than 300 miles driven in one day.

• Two drivers are required for trips involving more than 300 miles driven in one day.

• Every passenger must be buckled in at all times, and the number of passengers must not exceed the number of seat belts.

Application to Scenario:

In this scenario, only the three adults over 21 years of age should be allowed to drive the church-owned vehicles. If the church uses two passenger vans (seating 12 passengers each), they would need one additional driver if the trip is over 300 miles from the church. Thus, each vehicle would have eleven passengers and two drivers.

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