Car insurance varies by state, but no matter where you live, car insurance is always higher for teenagers. Why is it exactly that auto insurance rates for teenagers end up being so high? Driving is a skill that most people improve upon with experience. Teenagers are young and inexperienced drivers, making them a higher risk driver and therefore a more costly driver to insure. This means that it is even more important to do a thorough comparison of your car insurance options and find the car insurance rates that are the cheapest. Enter your zip above to start comparing car insurance quotes now!
Teen Driving Statistics
Teenagers do not make up a large part of the driving population; only 7% approximately. Yet they are responsible for 14% of all fatal crashes. Car accidents are the leading killer of teenagers according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The American Automobile Association, also known as AAA or Triple A, reported a 2008 cost in excess of $34 billion for motor vehicle crashes, including medical bills and property damage.
Inexperienced driving is challenging enough with distractions, the application of all of the rules of the road, understanding offensive driving and learning defensive driving. Alcohol takes a risky situation and makes it dangerous. The Highway Traffic Safety Administration claimed that almost 1,400 out of 13,000 crash fatalities were due to teenage drinking and driving. Almost 30% of teenagers that were killed were under the influence of alcohol. More than half of the victims were not wearing their seat belts. Out of all the deaths related to alcohol in the United States, 40% were reported to be due to teenage alcohol and driving.
Safer Driving for Teens
Drinking and driving is to be avoided at all costs. However, there are other hazards that drivers encounter on a daily basis that should also be evaded to minimize danger. Every driver is at risk of distraction. Teenagers especially need to be aware of common distractions, such as tuning the radio, texting, and talking on the phone. Using the rear view mirror to check hair or makeup has caused many accidents, as has reaching around and under the seats trying to find something that has fallen. If you need to do any of these things, it is better to wait for a red light and best to actually pull over to the side of the road.
Teenagers usually want to become a chauffeur for their friends, but driving with more than one passenger is also a big distraction. Additionally, night driving adds greater risk to the new and inexperienced driver, so limiting driving to the hours of natural sunlight can help reduce accidents. Weekends and summer months are also statistically higher for teen related car crashes.
Ways to Lower Teen Driver Insurance
Many states today require a graduated driver’s license for teenagers and some car insurance companies reduce the insurance rates based on these programs. Follow the guidelines set by your state in order to become properly licensed and insured. In order to reduce the cost of auto insurance for the teenage driver, contact your agent to find out what discounts and reductions might be available. Compare different insurance companies to find out who is offering the best deal. Premiums can be at least 50% higher for a new driver and sometimes even 100% more.
According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, you are four times as likely to die in a motor vehicle crash if you are under the age of 25. This means that most insurance companies will not reduce your teenager’s premium for at least a couple of years and perhaps even well beyond those teenage years.
If you have multiple cars in one household, find out what your insurance policy is for adding a teenager to the policy. If there is a restriction on which car can be driven, this needs to be strictly adhered. Just like for experienced drivers, the fancier the car, the more that the insurance will cost. This calculation is even greater with the teenager driver.
Most car insurance companies offer good student discounts. Typically if a student maintains at least a “B” grade average, they can get a discount on the insurance. This incentive is based on the premise that a student who is responsible with academics will extend that attitude to the driver’s seat as well. Classroom education is not the only way to lower car insurance for teenagers. Attending and passing certified driving classes, especially defensive driving courses, can also help reduce the premium.
The longer the teenage driver keeps a clean record, the faster the insurance rates will come down. At-fault accidents and traffic violations can increase your premiums and too many of them can cause the policy to be terminated. Routinely check back with your agent to find out if there are any new options for reducing your teenage driver’s car insurance.
Compare Teen Car Insurance Quotes Online
Being inexperienced does not make someone a bad driver. However, it does mean there is still a lot of “on the job training” and experience to be learned. While high car insurance is inevitable for a teenage driver, competitive rates can help lower the premium and make it more manageable. Compare different quotes on line for free and find the best rate available today. Enter your zip above to start comparing car insurance quotes now!
