Car Insurance Facts for Teenagers
When teenagers get behind the wheel for the first time, they are stepping out into a realm of new responsibility and freedom. Unfortunately, for teens, responsibility and freedom do not always go hand in hand. As a result, car insurance premiums for teen drivers are often very costly. However, there are some things that can be done to help mitigate insurance rates for teens over the longer run.
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Types of Cars
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Many teenagers prefer cars that will enhance their social capital with their peers, thus anything that goes fast and looks cool. Often cars that go fast and look cool are sportier models with two doors. Car insurance providers recognize the fast and cool appeal of sporty, two-door cars, and thus increase the rates for cars with two doors over those with four doors. Finding a less-appealing, older, four-door car will help to reduce the insurance rates for your teen driver.
Lifestyle Choices
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Teenage lifestyles are one of the main reasons for higher car insurance premiums. When teenagers get their freedom of mobility, it can translate to freedom of lifestyle. Teen drug and alcohol use often skyrockets during the teenage years. Teenagers are also in a developmental stage where risk taking is enhanced because of the lack of development in the frontal cortex, which regulates judgment and decision making.
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Statistics
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Statistics prove to car insurance providers that teens are more risky, thus requiring higher premiums. According to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, fatalities in vehicle accidents are three times more likely for sixteen-year-olds than the average age of all other drivers. In 2006, drivers 15 to 20 accounted for 12.9 percent of accidents with fatalities and 16 percent of police-reported crashes. According to a survey of 15- to 17-year-olds, 56 percent used cell phones while driving, 64 percent admitted to speeding up when approaching a yellow light, 69 percent sped to keep up with traffic and 47 percent admitted that other passengers sometimes distract them.
Shopping for Quotes
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The most important thing when looking for auto insurance quotes is to shop around. Car insurance policies and regulations differ from state to state. Help your teen look for cheap car insurance quotes.
Ways to Get Lower Rates
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In some states, car insurance companies may reduce insurance premiums for teens that take defensive driving courses, which can also include safety training for cell phones and text messaging, a major cause of accidents for teens. Other ways to reduce auto insurance premiums include reporting good grades to insurance companies and maintaining a clean driving record.
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References
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- Photo Credit teenager image by Alta.C from Fotolia.com
