If it’s about time for your teen to start driving, it might also be time to start helping them to look for a car. But where do you start? They want a speedy, flashy set of hot wheels and you want them to have something affordable and reliable. Unfortunately, they don’t always mix.
According to the Evening Tribune, more than 80 percent of parents and guardians put reliability above all else when choosing a vehicle for their teen. Parents want to rely on a car’s ability to not only hold its own, but to be able to protect their child in the event of a car accident in Stuart and elsewhere. After reliability comes a high safety rating and then the cost of auto insurance.
“I can replace cars, but I can’t replace a kid,” says Lauren Fix, The Car Coach.
Our Stuart car accident attorneys understand that this decision may be one of the most important ones you’ll make for them. During their first few years behind the wheel they face the highest risks for accidents! You want to make sure that they’re provided with a vehicle that’s going to help to keep them safe and alive behind the wheel should they get into an accident.
Here are some simple tips to make sure that you and your teen settle on a vehicle that fits in the budget and helps to provide you with some peace of mind:
-Should I go new or used? Price may be better for used cars, but the older you go the fewer technological safe guards you have. It’s the newer cars that have the new technology to help reassure parents. Some of these features include front air bags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and even back-up collision intervention systems. You can always add tint and some cool seat covers to make a car look cool, but you can’t add airbags and ECS.
-Check out the USAA’s list of top cars for teens. This list looks at vehicles based on their affordability, their safety and their reliability.
-Look at each vehicle’s crash-test ratings before narrowing your choice.
-Once you’ve selected a vehicle, consider having a trusted mechanic check it out.
-Check out insurance costs. Remember, boys cost more than girls. Driving education, good grades and other positive factors help to bring down costs for your teen.
-Talk with your teen about basic car maintenance once the vehicle makes it to your driveway.
If you or the teen in your life has been hurt in an auto accident in Stuart, Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere in the area, the personal injury attorneys at Freeman & Mallard can help you understand your rights and are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve. Call today to set up a free and confidential review of your case, 1-800-561-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Risks of Teen Car Accidents in Margate and Elsewhere Concerning Officials, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, April 25, 2012
Teen Driver Killed in One-Vehicle Accident in Palm Beach, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, March 13, 2012