According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Insurance Information Institute (III) the one thing that worried parents of teenagers can do to protect them is to choose a safe vehicle for the teenagers. The alarming statistics of motor vehicle crashes resulting in the death of teenagers is the reason behind the high rate of auto insurance for the teenaged drivers. The best choice that we can make safeguard against the uncertainty of life is to make sure that we have done our part as parents to ensure the safety of our teenaged children when they drive. It is therefore important to educate the teenage drivers about safety and responsibility while driving and the consequences of an at fault accident. They must ensure that before being licensed the teenager attends a recognized driving course.
There are many safe cars for teenagers. From the experience of Dr. Art Kellerman, Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Atlanta’s Emory University, he insisted on safety and reliability when his teenage son wanted a new car. They decided on a four cylinder Honda Accord fitted with side air bags and curtains. When the son had a T-boned crash, the side air bags and curtains prevented injuries to the brain and other injuries. He says, “You can always buy a new car, but you cannot buy another kid”.
Many tests have confirmed that a bigger vehicle protects the driver in any type of crash. At the time of buying a car for the teenager it is best to check its scores of crash tests available from the government and the IIHS. You can also refer to the Edmunds Car Safety Guide to find the crash test results. The IIHS website has the ratings and also recommendations for the safest car for teenagers. Cars fitted with driver and passenger airbags for protecting the head are highly recommended. Stability control is another aspect that must be present in the vehicles for teenagers to avoid crashes when the system senses that the driver is losing control. While making sure that the teenage driver gets an older car, safety equipments and devices like stability control and airbags must be insisted upon. Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer and Nissan Sentra are known to be the safest cars for teen drivers.
Here are some types of cars to avoid:
1. Avoid old vehicle
The newer vehicles are more crashworthy and they are more likely to have safety devices like side airbags fitted, and therefore are safer than older vehicles according to Anne McCartt, Senior Vice President for Research at the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS).
2. High Performance Vehicles
The level of risk increases with the speed of the car. So it is not a good idea to put a young and inexperienced driver behind the wheel of a high performance cars such as sports cars.. When it comes to insuring a teenage driver the rate is already ridiculously high and if there are speeding tickets or accidents will cause it to skyrocket. A larger heavier car is safer than a light, small car. Most of the mid to full size vehicles have adequate crash protection equipment installed. The car’s tires and brakes must be in excellent condition when you allow the teenager to drive it.
3. Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs)
SUVs have higher centers of gravity and they are more likely to roll over in the event of an accident. They are created to run on rough terrain and need more ground clearance. This involves a lot of abrupt steering adjustments which an inexperienced driver will find very difficult. This is a dangerous situation for the teenage drivers when they are driving such unstable vehicles.