To help parents and guardians, we have complied a list of five points, including resources, to consider when car shopping for a new driver.

Watching your child drive away for the very first time can spark many emotions all at once: pride that they accomplished this milestone, excitement for the independence they will gain, and absolute terror for the countless things that can go wrong on the road. It brings you back to their first steps, their first day of school, and now their first time driving on their own. Picking a good first vehicle is not only crucial, it could mean the difference between life and death if a crash were to occur.

Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance wants to help keep Kentuckians safe, and that begins with making sure you and your children are in reliable vehicles before ever even getting out on the road. To help parents and guardians, we have compiled a list of five points, including resources, to consider when car shopping for a new driver.

1. Avoid older vehicles. A study from the Journal of Safety Research found that teenage drivers often drive older car models, which are less safe. So, while many parents may be concerned with keeping a low budget for their teen’s first car, it’s important to remember that newer models come standard with many important safety features.  Some safety features to look out for when car shopping are Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), lane assist, and blind spot monitoring. Many of these functions have been offered for several years now but were not required until recently.
2. Start them out with a family vehicle. Did you know that young drivers who own vehicles are more likely to speed and participate in reckless driving activities? On the other hand, if the teen is driving a family car, or a vehicle that their parent is the owner of, they are less likely to drive recklessly or do anything that may result in a wreck or property damage. Research from the National Library of Medicine suggests that it may be wise to let teenagers gain experience with a family vehicle before entrusting them with their own.
3. Avoid smaller models. A study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Highway Loss Data Institute has shown that smaller and lighter vehicles don’t provide as much protection in a crash as bigger ones do. In fact, teens driving smaller cars are more likely to be injured or killed in a crash than those in bigger models due to the lesser weight, small crush zone, and minimal stability that smaller cars tend to have. It is recommended that parents lean more towards a large sedan or small SUV when shopping for their teen’s first car.
4. Stay away from vehicles with a higher horsepower. Keep in mind that new drivers are not experts and getting them a car with high horsepower could encourage speeding and reckless driving. Multiple reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) and the IIHS have provided data showing that teens aged 16-19 have a fatal crash rate per mile driven that is nearly three times that of drivers aged 20 and up. While teens are still new to driving it may be smart to allow them to gain experience with a vehicle that has a lower to average-powered engine. While the fast sports car may be what they want, that might need to be pushed off for a couple of years. 
5. Research crash test ratings and recalls before making a final decision. Thinking about your teen getting into a crash is the last thing anybody wants to do, but nevertheless, it’s important to put them in a durable car so that if a crash does occur, they are as safe as possible. NHTSA provides a valuable resource with its 5-star safety ratings program and its safety issues & recalls search tool. Finding important safety information has never been easier.

The IIHS and Consumer Reports have joined forces to provide a great resource with their Safe Vehicles for Teens list. All vehicles on the list provide a direct link to informational pages detailing the crashworthiness, tests, and safety features of each vehicle, and includes both used and new cars, with prices ranging from below $7,000 to upwards of $20,000.

Ensuring that your teen driver is in a safe and reliable car is one of the best things that you can do for them as a parent before sending them out onto the road. However, this alone won’t ensure their safety completely. For additional pointers on how to prepare a young driver for the responsibility of being behind the wheel, read our article: Is Your Teen Road Ready? Tips for Coaching a New Driver.