AUSTIN, Texas — For teenagers, the combination of inexperience and lack of driving judgment makes driving especially risky. Car crashes remain the leading cause of death for teens, so choosing a car for your teen driver is no simple task. Luckily two safety groups have come together with a list of used cars that are safe, reliable and ideal for your young driver.
When your teen starts to drive, as Jacky Ferrara knows, choosing the right car is key!
Safety features such as the automatic braking system and blind spot detectors, are there to make sure that not only he is safe but everybody else on the roads as well.
"A good car for me would be something that is reliable, has high safety features and is a comfortable drive."
And that’s important, because teenagers are among the riskiest drivers with crash rates that are almost four times those of drivers 20 and older per mile driven.
Because young drivers are at such high risk, buy a car with as much safety as the budget allows.
To help you strike a balance between cost and safety Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety identified more than 50 used cars under 20-thousand dollars with top safety and reliability ratings.
On the list, you’ll find some popular names, like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Hyundai Tucson.
Luckily, cars continue to get safer, and prices on the new and used market have stabilized. So, we’ve been able to point families to even better options this year!
Consumer Reports says that proven safety features like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and blind spot warning – are worth considering.
A teen driver’s first vehicle should be a balance, not too small, not too big, and definitely not too fast.
"Did you check your mirrors?"
And as Jacky did, have a conversation with your teen, BEFORE they get behind the wheel…
Making sure we are focused on the road, limiting the distractions, such as music and the amount of people in the car.
“Good job!”
Always take your time, use your safety precautions.
Those who want and can splurge for a new vehicle have many recommended models to choose from- one benefit is the bumper-to-bumper warranty new cars usually come with. We’ve got a link to the full list of recommended new and used models for teens on our station’s website.
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