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Chevrolet study reveals driving--not sex or drugs--worries parents most
If you don't have a teen living under your roof, you might not have noticed, but 'tis the season for buying cars for young drivers. Whether they're looking for a gift to suit a high school grad (good luck with that, BTW) or something to send off a college-bound kid, parents across the country are scouring the lots for rides.
Given the high cost of a brand new car, many shoppers choose to put their teen behind the wheel of a secondhand vehicle. Unfortunately, the number and range of vehicles on used-car lots can be seriously intimidating. Thankfully, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has created a suggested shopping list of used cars for young drivers, plus four handy hints that all parents should keep in mind.
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Those four bits of advice include:
1. Avoid high horsepower. Teens aren't known for excessive self-control, so it's not surprising that the IIHS suggests parents avoid buying cars with powerful engines. No matter what car parents purchase, a young driver will be tempted to push the engine to its limits, making an accident more likely. The higher the horsepower, the more dangerous that accident could be.
2. Size and weight are your friends. Small, sleek, and stylish cars may be attractive, but given how accident-prone teen drivers are, bigger cars are a better safety bet. They'll provide greater protection in the event of a crash.
3. Stick with electronic stability control (ESC). In the U.S., ESC has been mandatory on all new vehicles since the 2012 model year, so finding it isn't especially difficult. It was a common feature on vehicles from before 2012, too, but parents should check to make sure their car-of-choice has it. It'll help keep young drivers safer when they have to maneuver quickly on the road.
4. Check the ratings from IIHS and NHTSA. Just as parents would check safety ratings for their own vehicles, they should be doubly aware of safety ratings on their kids' cars. The best-known ratings systems come from IIHS and NHTSA. Make sure your potential purchase fares well on both charts.
Good cars and better cars
The IIHS knows that many families are watching every penny, and sometimes, they have to make decisions based on costs--even when it comes to their kids' cars. That's why the organization has divided its used-car recommendations into two categories: the best cars for teens and good cars for teens.
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The good cars all start below $10,000. The best cars start below $20,000, though some offer Kelley Blue Book values as low as $2,500. Here are a few of the top choices:
Best cars
- Large car: Volvo S80 (2007 and newer, starting at $4,000)
- Midsize car: Dodge Avenger (2011-2014, starting at $5,300)
- Small SUV: Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (2011 and newer, starting at $6,900)
- Midsize SUV: Volvo XC90 (2005 and newer, starting at $2,500)
- Minivan: Kia Sedona (2015 and newer, starting at $14,700)
- Pickup: Toyota Tundra extended cab (2014 and newer, starting at $15,600)
Good cars
- Large car: Ford Taurus (2009 and newer, starting at $4,300)
- Midsize car: Saab 9-3 (2005-2011, starting at $2,000)
- Small SUV: Mitsubishi Outlander (20072-2013, starting at $3,900)
- Midsize SUV: Ford Taurus X (2008-2009, starting at $3,700)
- Large SUV: Saturn Outlook (2008-09, built after March 2008, starting at $5,000)
- Minivan: Kia Sedona (2006-2014, starting at $2,500)
- Pickup: Toyota Tundra extended cab (2007-2013, starting at $8,400)
The IIHS has many, many more suggestions for anyone needing a ride for a teen driver. Watch the video above, which explains the IIHS's shopping criteria, then check the full list of suggested vehicles here.
Once upon a time, America's youth were in trouble--or so ABC wanted us to believe. From 1972 to 1997, the network's Afterschool Special series tackled a range of problems plaguing young people, including discrimination, disabilities, drinking, dating, drugs, death, and the 1970's scariest "D-word", divorce.
But a recent Harris Poll shows that, nearly 20 years after the last Afterschool Special aired (oddly, one about survivalism), there's something new to worry about: teen driving.
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The poll fielded responses from 638 parents and guardians of teens, asking them whether or not they were concerned about specific dangers to their children. Some 55 percent of participants admitted that they were worried about their child's driving habits.
That ranked driving higher than other concerns, including academic performance (53 percent), drugs and alcohol (52 percent), and sex (49 percent).
Given U.S. population trends, the data is especially timely. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August of 2000 saw 360,080 U.S. births--more than any other month that year. A significant number of those newborns could be getting their driver's licenses by next Wednesday.
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The poll also showed that 95 percent of parents and guardians believe that it's their responsibility to teach their teens to drive responsibly. Also, 92 percent said that they'd revoke a teen's driving privileges if she were found to be driving unsafely, and 79 percent said that they'd worry less if they could monitor their kid's driving habits.
Caveat
It's important to mention that the venerable Harris conducted its survey on behalf of Chevrolet. Though there's no reason to believe that Chevrolet skewed the poll's results, the brand does offer a suite of features called Teen Driver Technology, and therefore, it has an interest in drawing attention to the habits of inexperienced, teenage drivers. It does so quite well in this video:
That said, there's no denying that Teen Driver Technology and similar products available from other automakers are good news for parents. They can keep the radio volume down while teens are driving, mute the audio entirely when teens aren't wearing their seatbelts, and provide warnings when the car is traveling above pre-set speed limits.
Chevy's version also provides a report card on teens' driving performance, which parents can evaluate. The report card makes note of things like a teen's maximum speed, the number of overspeed warnings that the driver received, and if equipped, the number of forward collision alerts the driver received.
Have you used this sort of technology with your teen driver before? Would you? Share your thoughts below.
