Auto crashes remain the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 16 and 20. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this age group made up 30 percent of the 6.3 million crashes reported in 2003. In addition, young men are at especially high risk for fatal accidents, having nearly twice the risk as young women in the same age group.
Safe driving tips
If you have a teen driver at home, make sure they understand some of the most common factors involved in auto accidents. Helping your teen stay safe is, of course, your number-one priority, but as an added benefit, you'll save money on your auto insurance premium by avoiding costly auto insurance claims at the same time!
Inexperience and risk-taking — a deadly combination
With less driving experience, young drivers are less able to detect and respond to hazards, control a vehicle, and manage speed accordingly. They're also more likely to take risks (driving too fast, cutting lanes, etc.) than more experienced drivers, especially when there are friends in the car. Generally, auto insurance premiums are higher for young drivers because of their lack of driving experience and risk-taking attitude.
Help your teen be a safer driver by setting a good example with your driving habits and making sure he or she gets plenty of supervised driving practice. Also, when your teen's a newly licensed driver, limit the number of friends (if any) that can be in the car when they drive.
Night driving
Since young drivers tend to drive more at night than during the day, they're more prone to fatigue. Driving and fatigue never mix. Due to decreased visibility at night, it's also tougher for any driver to stay safe when it's dark. When teens first start driving, it's a good idea to place limits on late-night driving. By doing this, you may save your teen from an accident and an auto insurance claim.
Alcohol and drug use
Driving under the influence can be a major problem for young drivers. Even small amounts of alcohol or drugs will affect driving ability, which can be deadly for anyone, let alone a young, inexperienced driver. Most states have strict laws governing underage drinking. Let your teen know that he or she could injure or kill someone when driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Also, a DUI on your teen's driving record could make his or her auto insurance unaffordable.
Emphasize that your young driver should feel free to call you anytime he/she feels unable to drive, or whenever he/she is with another driver who's unable to drive. (Want to know more about preventing driving under the influence? Check out the Esurance Insight, "None for the road".)
Lack of seat belt use
Young drivers only use seat belts about 75 percent of the time. Without restraints, the risk of injury to a young driver involved in a severe crash more than triples. Make sure your teen always buckles up to avoid injury. (An added bonus of buckling up every time is that your teen will avoid getting tickets that will increase his or her auto insurance premium.)
When you decide it's time to sit down with your teen driver and get a car insurance quote, you'll be able to compare prices with several companies to see how much you can save. You can also use our interactive Coverage Counselor® to see personalized coverage suggestions.