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Driving Safety & Auto Insurance Tips for Teens
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% 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 this age group 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 at all) 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 & 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% 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.)
Encourage your teen to learn responsible driving habits and how to choose
auto insurance coverage by having him or her get a quote for auto insurance from
Esurance. You and your teen driver will be able to compare prices with
several auto insurance companies to see how much you can save. Then, use our
interactive Coverage Counselor to see which coverages best suit you and your
family’s auto insurance needs.
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