The Safest Used Cars For Teen Drivers

Everyone wants their children to be safe, and it’s no different when it comes time for a teenager to start driving. However, what many of us fail to consider is the rapid advances in safety technology that have taken place.

The natural thought is, “kids should take the older car out in case they damage it”. This makes sense on the surface, but also puts the less experienced drivers behind the wheels of cars with less safety features and autos that are more likely to have mechanical issues.

While we can’t all get brand new cars for our children, we can minimize the risk and be aware of what elements are the most important:

A teenagers first car is more than just a financial decision, Adrian Lund, the institutes president, said in a statement. These lists of recommended used vehicles can help consumers factor in safety, in addition to affordability.

A national survey conducted for the group indicated that:

Older cars are much less likely to have important safety features, like electronic stability control (ESC) and side airbags, and small cars offer less protection that larger ones in a crash, the group said, noting that teens high risk of crashing is amplified by certain vehicles. A separate institute study showed that teenagers killed in crashes are more likely than adults to have been behind the wheel of small vehicles and older vehicles.

Unfortunately, its very difficult to get a safe vehicle for a teenager at the prices most people are paying, Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research, said in a statement. Our advice to parents would be to remember the risks teens take and consider paying a little more.

The groups recommendations are guided by four main principles:

Young drivers should stay away from high horsepower. Powerful engines can tempt teens to test the limits.

Bigger, heavier vehicles protect better in a crash. The recommended list does not include minicars or small cars; small SUVs are included, as their weight is similar to that of a midsize car.

ESC is a must. This feature helps a driver maintain control of the vehicle on curves and slippery roads; it reduces risk on a level comparable to safety belts.

Vehicles should have the best safety ratings possible. At least good ratings in the institutes moderate overlap front test, acceptable ratings in its side crash test and four or five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

All the vehicles on the institutes list have standard ESC and offer good protection in moderate overlap front crashes. Vehicles considered best choices for under $20,000 also have good ratings for side crash protection, good head restraints and seats for rear crash protection, and good roof strength to protect occupants in rollover crashes. Vehicles considered good choices for under $10,000 have good or acceptable side crash protection and head restraints rated better than poor.

Parents who dont find a suitable used vehicle from either list, the group said, should buy a midsize or larger car, an SUV, or a minivan with the most safety features they can afford. In addition to ESC, these include side airbags and low horsepower. The institute noted that SUVs and pickups are particularly risky when not equipped with ESC because they are the most prone to rollover crashes.

See full story on forbes.com

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You can also read The Safest Used Cars For Teen Drivers on Car Interstate Transport.