Driving and Car Use

A legal driver

To ensure your au pair can drive legally, follow these recommendations and requirements:

• Ensure that your au pair has an international driver’s permit (IDP). An IDP is simply an English translation of their home country’s license and is typically valid for one year. It is an au pair’s responsibility to obtain the IDP in their home country before traveling to the U.S. The valid home country license and IDP must always be presented together.

• Help your au pair obtain a state license upon their arrival. Each state has different laws for overseas visitors who wish to drive – we recommend you contact the local Registry of Motor Vehicles as soon as you select your final au pair to understand the requirements in your state.

  • Note: Keep in mind that host families who require their au pair to drive are responsible for the cost of obtaining a state driver’s license.

Properly covered by insurance

To ensure an au pair using the family car is properly covered by insurance, follow these recommendations and requirements:

• If your au pair will be using the family car for any reason, you must add them to your auto insurance policy. Host families are responsible for the associated costs of adding an au pair to their insurance.

• Contact your insurance company as soon as you match with your au pair. Note that different insurance companies may have different requirements to add your au pair to your policy (some require a state license or a social security number).

Fully prepared to get behind the wheel

Like many young people, au pairs have varied levels of driving experience, and many au pairs will not be comfortable driving right away. To help ensure that your au pair is prepared, we recommend that you:

• Talk with your au pair about local driving practices.

• Take time to familiarize the au pair with your family’s vehicles as well as roads in the area.

• If you require your au pair to drive a larger vehicle, take special care to help them adjust.

• Practice driving with your au pair before they drive your children.

• Encourage your au pair to be honest about their comfort level.

• Ensure that your vehicle is properly registered, inspected and in proper working order before providing it to an au pair for use on or off duty.

Host families must make the final determination as to whether they will permit the au pair to use their vehicle(s).

Driving basics

Host families and au pairs should also sit down together and go over car use thoroughly. Your au pair should know:

• Where the registration and insurance documents are located

• How to operate car seats properly

• How to fill the car with gas and what type of gas to use

• What to do in the case of an accident

• Where they are and are not allowed to drive

• Your expectations with regards to mileage, gas payments, car curfew, acceptable passengers, etc.

• The consequences of drinking and driving

In case of an accident

By allowing an au pair to use the family car, you are accepting the risk that they could get into an accident. If an accident occurs, please note:

• The au pair’s travel insurance is secondary to the auto insurance policy in case of an accident that results in an injury and does not provide coverage for any liability or property damage.

• If the au pair is involved in a car accident while on duty, which includes travel to and from gatherings with their local representative and their required classes, the family will be responsible for all associated costs including the deductible.

• If the accident occurs while the au pair is off-duty and the au pair is at fault, the au pair is responsible for paying the deductible up to $500. The au pair is not responsible for a deductible of more than $500.

• If the family chooses to not use insurance, and there is no deductible as part of a claim, then the au pair is not required to pay for the costs associated with the accident.

• The au pair’s stipend cannot be withheld for this or any reason.

Please note: Cultural Care Au Pair cannot be held liable for any damage or loss resulting from the au pair’s use of a vehicle.