So your teenager is starting to drive?
She has her learners permit.
You have your cappuccino in hand and are trying to patiently parent in the passenger seat as she navigates down the street with hands in the 10 and 2 position.
You are going to worry every time she leaves home.
Oh, and the budget is going to hurt. This is going to increase your auto insurance rates. A lot.
But wait, does it have to be so bad?
Your teen can earn the privilege of driving and help keep your auto insurance rates reasonable all at the same time. Here are some simple things that you can both do to keep the rates reasonable:
- Take accredited driver safety courses. Most auto insurance companies will cut their rates for teenagers that are proactive enough to take these courses. And you will sleep better at night too.
- Keep up a good GPA. Having a GPA of 3.0 or better is similar to insurance companies giving better rates to folks with good credit. It also helps you push her to hit the books!
- Stay away from high performance cars. Everyone wanted a Camaro when I was in high school. Seems kind of silly now, but teenagers today are looking to impress their friends with the revved up Ford Mustang. High performance cars like these carry big premiums and not just for teenagers. Avoid them and your teen may also avoid putting “the peddle to the metal” and their life in danger.
- Splurge on the car’s safety features. Newer models cars come with all the safety features such as anti-lock brakes, front and side air bags, traction control, and automatic seat belts. This not only saves you on auto insurance, but in a worst case scenario it may save your teens life.
- Lay down the rules. Even though everyone has heard the statistics that teenagers are significantly more likely to crash when there are 2 or more passengers in the car, this is rarely discussed between teens and parents. You remember those days when everything was care free, you just finished your senior exams, and it was oh so fun to be flying down the road with all your friends in the car with the stereo blasting. Not so safe in hindsight. Let your teen know how you feel and why it’s important to limit her passengers to one friend, period.
- Keep a clean record. It may sound obvious, but let her know that as a new driver, if she gets a citation, such as a speeding ticket, your rates are going to suddenly skyrocket for her. Let her know this will impact your decision to let her drive in the future.
Teach your teen to respect the privilege and you will have a much safer driver and lower auto insurance.
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