Parents won't always be with their teens to guarantee they're driving safely. But you can make sure your children are driving safe, reliable vehicles. Here are some tips for picking a safe vehicle for your child:
- A slightly older, four-door sedan is a sturdier vehicle and will help prevent the temptation to drive fast, keep your teen safer in an accident, and likely cost less to insure.
- Newer vehicles, between six and 10 years old, tend to offer more safety features. Look for a car with a sound structural design; seatbelts, airbags, and head restraint systems; anti-lock brakes and daytime running lights.
- Avoid vehicles with performance features, such as turbo-charged engines, to reduce the chances of a speed-related crash. Insurance companies also rate sports cars or performance vehicles higher because data shows they're statistically more likely to be driven faster and more recklessly.
- Contrary to popular belief, a vehicle's color has no bearing on insurance rates. No correlation has ever been found between the color of a car and the likelihood of the driver being involved in a crash.
- Before you buy, take advantage of consumer safety information available online or from speaking with your auto insurance agent. Check how your child's vehicle type, academics and past violations will impact his or her individual rates and coverage options.