You likely have two concerns when you are looking to buy your teenager a car or advise your teen about which car he or she should purchase. You are likely worried about the safety of the car and its price. You need a car that is both affordable and safe, but with so many safety options out there, how can you know what is necessary to protect your child and what would simply be nice to have?
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Recently Helped Answer This Question
In October 2015, the IIHS came out with a new list of specific vehicles that parents and teens should consider. Additionally, the IIHS identified the safety features that it feels are most important. Those features include:
- Bigger and heavier cars. No minicars or small cars were included on the IIHS list.
- Electronic stability. This helps drivers maintain control if a road is curvy or slippery. It has been mandatory on vehicles since 2012, but was included in some vehicles prior to that model year.
- Avoiding high horsepower engines. Teens simply don’t need them, and some teens may be tempted to see just how fast a vehicle with a powerful engine may go.
Other things not mentioned in the IIHS list, such as back-up cameras, may also be important.
Please share this article on Facebook or directly with other parents of teens so that everyone has the information that they need to make safe car purchases that could protect their children in an accident.
