Teens and young adults can have a difficult time getting car insurance. Teenage drivers are considered high-risk for many reasons. They can expect to pay more than adults for insurance. Most teens will choose to add to their parents’ insurance policy. Although the savings can be significant, it also increases the risk for the parents and their insurance. There are ways to reduce insurance costs for your teenager, even if you decide not to add them to your policy.
for Teen Driver Parents
These are some tips to help parents save money on their teenager’s insurance.
- You are an example to your child. Your children will likely copy your behavior when they are behind the wheel. Talk to your children while they are young and open to listening. Don’t scare them, but inform them about the risks of driving a car. Tell your child how you avoided an accident while driving. Explain to your child what happened, and how you could have avoided it. These lessons from the real world can be passed on to your teenagers well into adulthood.
- Enroll your teen in a defensive driving class. Young drivers may be eligible for discounts on their insurance rates if they complete a defensive driving course. These courses are available in either a private school or online.
- Your teens should not drive. Parents’ primary concern is their safety and that of their children should be the first consideration when limiting your teen’s driving. Young drivers who have never driven in high winds, snow, ice or rain can easily become agitated and make mistakes. These weather conditions can increase the chance of an accident. Allow your teen to slowly gain experience by driving at night in familiar areas. You can let them drive in the rain to school, home, and back again. You will be able to extend your driving range once they feel they can handle it and are able to react to driving hazards.
- Keep the vehicle clean. Teens may not be interested in maintaining their cars. As a parent, your safety is paramount so it is important to make sure that the car is safe and runs smoothly. Let’s look at the most important concerns here, the brakes and tires, as well as the lighting.
- Brakes Have your mechanic inspect the brakes regularly to check the wear of the brake pads and rotors. To reduce the risk of an accident, make sure any brake problems are addressed immediately. Teenagers and inexperienced drivers, in particular, will press the brakes in unplanned driving conditions. If your brakes fail to stop the vehicle quickly and are worn, the chances of your teenager hitting the car in front of you are greater. This will make him at-fault for the accident and leave him liable for any damages.
- Tires– Bald tires (worn) that have very little tread left and are becoming smoother provide little traction on braking and rainy roads making it difficult to slow down in an emergency.
- Lights Verify that all lights on the exterior of your vehicle are functioning properly. Many states have laws that regulate the working conditions of turn signals, brake lights and turn signals. These lights are essential for any driving situation.
