Why do I have a video about Goldilocks on a post for safe cars for a teen driver? Well, Goldilocks in general because I think the theme behind buying a safe car for a teen driver is to buy the car that is, as Goldilocks would say, juuuuust riiiight. This video in particular because I love Roald Dahl, and it takes me back to when I was six years old and reading his revolting rhymes.
I wouldn’t show it to your teen driver, though. They might think you’re crazy.
Your teen driver is more at risk than any other kind of driver for fatal car crashes, or even just a car crash involving an injury. While six thousand teens die every year in car accidents, over three hundred thousand are seriously injured. This is among the main reasons for why teen driver car insurance rates are so high. In order to lower your teen driver car insurance rates, you have to comply with the car insurance company by lowering the risk of your teen driver. And how do you lower the risk? There are a lot of ways, but a good place to start is by buying your teen driver the right car, which is what many parents do before their kid starts driving on their own.
When picking a car for your teen driver, you should…
- Be a parent, not a friend.
Your teen driver wants the convertible or the sports car. Don’t give in, even if you have the money for the higher premium an the car note. It’s been documented that high performance vehicles are more likely to be involved in car accidents, and having a teen driver in a car that goes very fast is a recipe for disaster. You don’t have to buy your teen driver a station wagon, but practice your firm use of the word “NO” before you go with them to the car dealer ship.
- Pick a stable car.
While SUVs are generally larger and seem to be safer, they aren’t a good option for your teen driver, either. Not even the smaller ones that seem like a good compromise. The reason for this is that they have a low center of gravity, which means they are more likely to skid and roll over, even with safety devices that protect against this. The bumpers are usually not made of the strongest material, and crumple quickly while causing significant damage to the other car.
- Look for crash worthiness.
That doesn’t even sound like a word, but it’s one that gets thrown around a lot in the car insurance business. A crash worthy car is one hat has passed crash tests in flying colors.
- Remember that size is important.
You shouldn’t let your teen driver have a large vehicle, because if they drive recklessly then they could cause a lot of damage. Neither should you allow them to drive a smaller car, because those receive a lot of damage. The best way to go is juuust riiight. Get a mid sized car that is crash worthy.
- Not buy ancient.
Older cars are cheap, and most of us drove a piece of junk when we were young, but if you have the option not to, you should avoiding buying a car that is over ten years old for your teen driver. In fact, again you should get the car whose age is juuust riiight. A new car will have higher teen driver car insurance rates, and an older car won’t have the popular safety features. Buy a car that’s a few years old, but not too old, and you’ll have a match.