Jetta Scion
The Safest Cars On The Road Today For Teenagers
Shopping for your teenager's first car can be tricky and difficult for parents. How does a parent know what to look for in their teen's first vehicle? What is the proper balance of desirability, practicality, and safety? By following these pragmatic rules amassed from the leading specialists, you will make certain that your teenager's first vehicle is practical, affordable, and above all else, very safe.
When shopping for your teenager's first car, a good rule of thumb is to purchase the safest car you can afford, and never scrimp on safety features. It is a sad statistic that car crashes are the number one killer of teenagers in America. According to the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety's 2008 Report:
"In the United States, teenagers drive less than all but the oldest people, but their numbers of crashes and crash deaths are disproportionately high. In the United States, the crash rate per mile driven for 16-19 year-olds is 4 times the risk for older drivers. Risk is highest at age 16. In fact, the crash rate per mile driven is twice as high for 16 year-olds as it is for 18-19 year-olds."
Safety should be the number one factor in choosing your teen's first vehicle when you consider that the crash rates for teenagers is so high (especially 16 year-olds). Look for an automobile with electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock brakes (ABS), curtain Air Bags, and good crash-test results (found on the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety's website). A Long Island car accident lawyer is vigilant to point out that traction control is not the same as ESC. ESC is tough to find on vehicles made before 2006, but will be a required feature starting with 2012 model-year vehicles.
In a perfect world, every parent would be able to afford to go out and purchase a new family car with the latest and greatest in safety features, but this of course is not the case. A Long Island car accident lawyer recommends purchasing a car with the greatest number of airbags available.
For 2010, Consumer Reports put out a list of their "Best Cars For Teen Drivers". While the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety warns against small, lightweight cars, Consumer Reports' list contains several that vehicles fitting that description. Both agencies do warn against larger SUVs and pickup trucks ("clumsy handling, poor fuel economy", prone to roll over) and sports cars (higher rate of accidents compared to other cars). The Consumer Reports list appears at the end of this article.
Contrary to popular belief, a bigger car does not equal a safer car. Larger cars are harder to manage than smaller cars, which are more nimble. Larger cars typically do not brake or steer as well as a smaller car.
A Manhattan auto accident attorney and a Long Island car accident lawyer, that both know auto accidents, agree that larger does not equal better when it comes to a teenager's first vehicle. According to them, an ideal automobile is a mid-size family car. This type of vehicle posses a good blend of handling, fuel efficiency, and size. Mid-size family sedans are typically offered with all the latest safety features.
After compiling all available reports, it turns out that the mid-size car your teenager grew up riding in is now the ideal choice for their first car. But as reported above, do not just hand them the keys to a ten year-old sedan, try to purchase the newest and most safety-feature laden vehicle that fits your budget.
2010 Consumer Reports Best Cars For Teen Drivers
Small cars: Hyundai Elantra SE (2008-present) $11,775-$18,695; Mazda 3 (2007-) $13,025-$19,070; Scion xB (2008-) $14,075-$18,630; Scion xD (2008-) $13,675-$16,620; Subaru Impreza (2008-) non-turbo, $13,700-$19,106; Suzuki SX4 Crossover (2007-) $10,150-$17,519
Family cars: Acura TSX (2004-) $13,725-$29,675; Honda Accord (2008-) 4-cyl., $17,725-$22,795; Kia Optima (2007-) 4-cyl., $9,900-$20,365; Toyota Prius (2004-) $11,750-$22,950; Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 (2006-) $12,825-$22,965
Small SUVs: Honda CR-V (2005- ) $13,300-$25,805; Nissan Rogue (2008- ) $16,550-$25,850
About the Author
Long Island car accident lawyers
, Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine have represented those who have been injured due to no fault of their own for over four decades. Our firm and its
Manhattan auto accident attorneys
are synonymous with upholding and defending the rights of injured and disabled New Yorkers in Manhattan and Long Island.
2007 Scion tC vs. Jetta GTI (or TDI)
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