Transportation Issues for Parents and Providers
A parent wants her child care provider to transport her child to and from her home. What are the issues that the parent and the provider should consider before agreeing to do this?
From the parent point of view
The parent wants:
1) Her child to be transported safely and
2) Her child to be properly insured in the event of an accident
Safety Issues
To ensure that the child is transported safely the parent should:
Ask to see a copy of the provider’s valid driver’s license
Ask if the provider has taken the required child passenger restraint systems training. Ask to see a copy of the completed training certificate.
Ask if the provider’s child care license restricts transporting children
Ask if the provider will carry a cell phone in the car so the parent and provider can communicate in the event of a traffic jam or emergency
Ask if the car is in good working order
Ask if other children will also be picked up or dropped off. If so, the parent should ask how the children will be properly supervised.
Ask if the provider will be making other stops along the way. If so, the parent should ask for assurances that their child will never be left alone in the car, even for a moment.
Make sure that their child is transported in a properly installed safety restraint. If the parent wants more information about the law she should contact her local CCR&R agency.
Call the provider after the child is expected to be at the provider’s home to make sure the child arrived safely.
Ask the provider if anyone else will be transporting their child.
oIf so, the parent should ask to see evidence that this person has passed a background clearance check and has taken the required child passenger restraint systems training.
oIn addition, the parent should ask to see the driver’s license of any other drivers.
oThe parent should also ask for a written list of others who are authorized to transport their child.
OIf another person is transporting their child and is using a car not owned by the provider, the parent should review all of the above instructions with the driver.
Sign a statement authorizing the provider (and any others) to transport their child
Insurance Issues
Parents need to make sure that the provider’s car insurance will cover their child if there is an accident. The provider needs to have a business insurance policy (also called a commercial insurance policy) when transporting a child. A typical personal insurance policy will not cover a child in this situation. Many providers may not be aware of the necessity of having a business insurance policy, so parents should ask about this.
A parent should ask to see a copy of the certificate of car insurance and look for language on the certificate that says that the transportation of children is covered. If this language (or other language indicating that the policy is a business policy) does not appear on the certificate the parent should not allow the provider to transport her child. The financial risk is too great for a parent to allow their child to be transported in an un-insured vehicle.
The provider can ask their insurance agent to have this language added to their insurance certificate. If their insurance agent will not add this language then the provider (and the parent) should assume that the policy does not cover children being transported.
The parent may or may not want to ask about the amount of insurance coverage the provider carries on her car. The higher the coverage limits the better.
From the provider point of view
The provider wants:
1) The child to be safely transported and
2) The child and the provider to be adequately covered by insurance.
Safety Issues
To ensure that the child is safely transported the provider should:
Maintain her valid driver’s license
Take the required child passenger restraint systems training
Carry a cell phone in the car so the parent and you can communicate in the event of a traffic jam or emergency
Make sure the car is in good working order
Maintain proper supervision if other children will also be picked up or dropped off
Follow proper safety procedures if you will be making other stops along the way. Children should never be left alone in the car, even for a moment.
Make sure that the child is transported in a properly installed safety restraint.
Call the parent after arriving home to let the parent know the child arrived safely.
Have the parent(s) sign a statement authorizing you to transport the child.
Inform the parent in writing if someone else may be transporting the child (either on a regular basis or only in an emergency). If another person besides the provider will be transporting the child, review all of the above instructions with the driver.
Lastly, who will be caring for other children while the provider is transporting a child? Does this substitute have the appropriate background check and training?
Insurance Issues
Providers need to make sure that their car insurance will cover themselves, the children, and their car if there is an accident. If a child is being transported on a regular basis the provider needs to have a business insurancepolicy (also called a commercial insurance policy). A typical personal insurance policy will not cover a child in this situation.
Many providers may not be aware of the necessity of having a business insurance policy, so providers should ask their car insurance agent about this. If the insurance agent assures you that you are covered, ask to have this put in writing. This can be done in the form of a letter on the agent’s company stationary stating directly that children being transported are covered. Even better is to have a statement added to the certificate of insurance that the policy is a business (or commercial) policy and that transporting children is covered. Without one of these two written statements, the provider should assume that her policy will not cover her if she is transporting children.
A provider should also increase their insurance coverage limits to protect themselves in case of an accident. This is particularly true if the provider is transporting more than one child at a time. Discuss the proper coverage limits with your insurance agent.
This handout was produced by Resources for Child Caring ( For additional family child care business publications, contact Resources for Child Caring’s publishing division, Redleaf Press, at 800-423-8309 or visit