3 Considerations Before Your Teen Gets a Car

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As you watch your child transition to a teenager and then reach the stages prior to adulthood, they may request a bit more freedom. While you might have already adjusted any curfew or restrictions within your home, many teenagers might see having their own vehicle as the next goal. Before agreeing to purchase a vehicle for your teen, you may want to think about the different factors and responsibilities that coincide with owning and using a car.

3 Considerations Before Your Teen Gets a Car

Insurance

The cost of insurance for new drivers can be quite high, especially if their vehicle is newer or has any modifications altering it from factory condition. If your teenager is still at school, even working a part-time job, they may struggle to come up with monthly or annual payments themselves. Due to being at school, and still needing to follow the rules within the family home, they may also not plan to use the vehicle as much as any adults in the household use their own. Unlike traditional insurance providers, Metromile can allow new drivers to pay for the amount they personally travel. This can help to significantly reduce premiums based on mileage, even for those less experienced on the roads. You may also want to discuss the importance of insurance with your teen, so they understand why it exists and why they should always make sure it is kept updated.

Maturity

While your teen may think that they are mature enough to be a responsible driver, there may be clear signs that they are still quite immature. If this is the case, you might want to consider how this could reflect when out on the road. A driver of a vehicle should be able to retain calmness, even when there are problems with traffic or accidents, as well as to ignore aggression shown by other drivers. For parents whose teens are still showing levels of immaturity, it might be a good idea to hold off on buying that vehicle, until you can see that their behaviour shows they are more likely to be able to manage this level of responsibility.

The Car Itself

Teenagers are believed to be four times as likely to be involved in a road traffic accident than more experienced drivers. Due to this, you might want to consider certain safety aspects before buying a car. Although your teen may want something new and flashy, especially if it can reach higher speeds, this may not be a good idea. Instead, you might want to think about the safety features built into the vehicle. These could potentially save your teen’s life, should they be involved in a collision. The build of the car may also be important, as you may not want them driving a vehicle which has already been subject to a number of repairs and, therefore, might gain further faults.

Giving your teen a car can be a sign of trust, as well as an acknowledgement that they are growing up. Considering the different aspects of both the vehicle and driver can help you to make a better-informed decision.

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