9 Stress-Free Ways to Share the Family Car

Who fills the gas tank? Who has priority when everyone needs the car? Do all drivers contribute to maintenance and insurance costs? Are there penalties for getting a ticket, and who pays for them?

Knowing the answers (and consequences) can head off sticky situations and get younger drivers thinking about their obligations.

Not only do you want to make sure you have enough to cover the car if it's damaged, but if your family is sharing a single car, you may want to add rental car coverage for the time your car is out of service.

Set up Bluetooth, Siri eyes-free or other hands-free communication in the car. And to locate a teen driver without calling to see where he is, invest in a service like hum by Verizon. For $10 a month (plus equipment, taxes and fees), the technology can identify your car's location, create speed alerts and even monitor its fuel economy.

Make scheduling a regular family conversation so everyone's in the loop and no one's caught without a ride. Apps like Google Calendar and Cozi can help out too. Everyone can access it and get a notification when a new event is added.

Forgot the last time you rotated your tires? No worries — hum's smart car system will send you a text when it's time, plus let you know when to change your oil and other maintenance reminders to keep car trouble at bay. (And if your engine light does come on, the hum app helps decode exactly what's happening.)

You still want to discuss how to handle emergencies like a flat tire or blown radiator that will take the car out of service. Get a roadside assistance plan — hum offers this service too — and make sure that all drivers know how to use it.

Create a schedule for drivers to rotate car cleaning and maintenance, or designate a time when you'll clean it together. Charge each driver with providing cleaning supplies or completing a maintenance task when it's time.

Open a family Uber account or enlist nearby family members or friends for ride sharing so no one is left stranded or without transportation if plans change suddenly.

Some driver's ed programs include a parent class, which is an easy way for adults who have been on the road for a long time to get up to speed on the new rules quickly. Find driver education information on your state's DMV site.

Even with ground rules, shared schedules and open communication, it's good to verify that the car is being used as intended. If you've set neighborhood boundaries for your teen driver, for instance, hum can help by sending you a text if the car leaves a designated geographical area.