Buying a car for your child is scary for any parent but there's new guidelines that can help you make the important decision.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has a new list that's good for just about any budget.
The organization is also adding these items to their list when buying a car for a teen:
- Young drivers should stay away from high horsepower. More powerful engines can tempt them to test the limits.
- Bigger, heavier vehicles are safer. They protect better in a crash, and HLDI analyses of insurance data show that teen drivers are less likely to crash them in the first place. There are no mini-cars or small cars on the recommended list. Small SUVs are included because their weight is similar to that of a midsize car.
- Electronic stability control (ESC) is a must. This feature, which helps a driver maintain control of the vehicle on curves and slippery roads, reduces risk on a level comparable to safety belts.
- Vehicles should have the best safety ratings possible. At a minimum, that means good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front, side and head restraint tests and four or five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
To see the list of the best rated cars for teens click here.
