Choosing the Safest Cars for Teens: What Parents Need to Know
Once their kids start driving, most parents purchase car insurance because it is required. Before that, though, the single best thing you can do to protect your offspring on the road is to buy them the safest possible vehicle.
But just what are the safest cars for teens? What features do you need to look for, and how will the choice of vehicle affect your insurance premiums? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the safest cars for teens to drive!
Quest for Teen Safety on Four Wheels
Left to their own devices, most young drivers would love a first car that’s sleek, stylish, and faster than it has any right to be. However, getting them such a car is a bad idea for several reasons, including the fact that it will dramatically raise your insurance. They are statistically likelier to get into an accident at this young age, which is why auto insurance is more expensive for a teenager.
Your teen driver won’t want to hear this, but it’s vitally important to value safety over style when picking a car for them. Keep in mind that car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S. By choosing the right vehicle and safety features, you can help keep your child from becoming another grim statistic.
Making a Safe Investment: Key Car Features for Teen Drivers
What does the safest car for teen drivers look like? It’s a vehicle with solid crash protection and modern safety features like electronic stability control (ESC) and side airbags. Such features are standard on newer vehicles but not on older vehicles. Therefore, when shopping for the kiddo’s first car, its age is important: You don’t want to get them an expensive, cutting-edge car, but you also don’t want it to be so old that the lack of modern safety features puts the driver in more danger.
Additionally, the vehicle should have a rearview camera for when your teen is backing up. This feature is mandatory for vehicles made since 2018 and can help protect your child from causing any accidents by giving them one more way of knowing where they’re going. Such features, combined with teen driver laws, are designed to keep your child as safe as possible.
Evaluating Crash Test Ratings and IIHS Recommendations
One of the best ways to determine the safest vehicles for teens to drive is to look at a prospective car’s crash ratings as determined by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This independent, non-profit group conducts extensive crash testing and combines its findings with other data to evaluate automobile safety in four key areas. For maximum safety, you will want a vehicle with a “good” rating in all four categories.
Driving Beyond the Basics: Advanced Features That Make a Difference
Beyond the features described above, there are more advanced safety features to help new drivers avoid accidents. This includes various advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) that can monitor blind spots, automatically apply brakes, keep young drivers in the right lane, and much more.
Other advanced features include forward collision warning systems and anti-lock braking systems. While the safest car for your teen driver doesn’t have to have every single one of these features, keep in mind each safety feature makes them that much less likely to get involved in a crash.
Insurance Implications: Protecting Your Teen and Your Wallet
Parents, brace yourself: Adding your new driver to your insurance is going to hike up your premiums, possibly dramatically. While that’s the bad news, the good news is that there are easy ways of protecting your wallet even while you protect your teen.
The right vehicle, for example, will be cheaper to insure. Insurance companies typically offer lower rates and discounts for vehicles with safety features. Speaking of discounts, your teen may also be able to get a discount for maintaining good grades. And as a general rule, slightly older vehicles are cheaper to insure because, in the event of an accident, they are cheaper to repair or replace than something brand new.
Finally, consider enrolling your child in a driving safety program. Not only will such a program help them learn more about driver tools and safe driving tips, but completing such programs usually qualifies them for special discounts on car insurance.
Unveiling the Unsafe: Vehicles to Steer Clear From
If you want the safest car for teens, avoid small vehicles because they will get more seriously damaged in the event of a wreck, making a midsize vehicle a better choice. Midsize is usually the “sweet spot” between a vehicle that is too tiny and one that might be too big to control (like a truck or large SUV). Finally, high-horsepower vehicles are bad for teens.
Don’t Forget to Get Your Teen Car Insurance
Now you know more about how to pick the safest cars for teens. This includes what kinds of cars to avoid and what kinds of vehicle safety features teens need. But do you know how to further their protection with the best car insurance?
Here at Cost-U-Less, we are specialists in keeping young drivers safe. Ready to give your child the protection they need every time they get behind the wheel? Just give us a call at (800) 390-4071 or get a quick car insurance quote online. You can also find a Cost-U-Less office near you.
