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Teenagers & safe cars
If your teenager
has just gotten a driver's license, it may be hard to imagine handing
over the keys to your brand new car, but that may be the smartest
vehicle to choose.
The first years teenagers spend as drivers are very risky. In fact,
teen drivers have the highest death rates of any age group. In 1997
alone, more than 5,700 teenagers died in motor vehicle crashes, and
many more were left severely and permanently injured by crashes.
While getting a driver's license is an exciting rite-of-passage for
teens, it can be enough to make a parent frantic. However, the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Insurance
Information Institute (I.I.I.) say there is something worried parents
can do to protect their teens—choose a safe vehicle.
- Avoid vehicles that encourage
reckless driving.
Teen drivers not only lack experience, but may also lack maturity. As a
result, speeding and reckless driving are common.
Sports cars and other vehicles with high performance features, such as
turbocharging, are likely to encourage speeding. Choosing a vehicle
with a more sedate image will reduce the chances your teen will be in a
speed-related crash.
- Don't let your teen drive an
unstable vehicle.
Sport utility vehicles, especially the smaller ones, are inherently
less stable than cars because of their higher centers of gravity.
Abrupt steering maneuvers—the kind that can occur when teens are
fooling around or over-correcting a driver error—can cause rollovers
where a more stable car would, at worst, skid or spin out.
- Pick a vehicle that offers good
crash protection.
Teenagers should drive vehicles that offer state-of-the-art protection
in case they do crash.
- Don't let your teen drive a
small vehicle.
Small vehicles offer much less protection in crashes than larger ones.
However, this doesn't mean you should put your child in the largest
vehicle you can find. Many mid- and full-size cars offer more than
adequate crash protection. Check out the safety
ratings for mid-size and larger cars.
- Avoid older vehicles.
Most of today's cars are better designed for crash protection than cars
of six to ten years ago. For example, a newer, mid-size car with
airbags would be a better choice than an older, larger car without
airbags. Before you make a final choice on the car your teenager will
drive, consult the U.S. Department of Transportation ( http://www.dot.gov ) or
the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ( http://www.iihs.org ).
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