It’s a day that kids look forward to for years and parents fear – the day their child picks up his first driver’s license. Parents dread this day because they worry about a myriad of dangers such as car accidents and the other assorted trouble their children can get into with their new found independence. Yet another worry is the cost. Will you buy your child a new vehicle? How much will gasoline costs add to your monthly budget? What about automobile insurance?
Insurance is a cost you cannot avoid when your child gets their license, and to add to your financial worries, young drivers are subject to much higher insurance fees than older drivers. One single factor – experience – is the largest reason teen insurance is so high. They lack it, and insurance companies like it. Rates are higher for new drivers until they get at least three years of experience under their belt, so be prepared.
Age is also a factor. Most drivers get their driver’s license at age 16 or 17, and insurance companies will charge more for insurance for drivers who are under the age of 25. Males are also generally charged more because they are perceived as being riskier drivers than females, so be prepared to pay higher for your son’s insurance than your daughter’s in some cases. There is one bit of good news associated with teen driving insurance, however. Many companies offer a discount to drivers who get good grades in school, so emphasize this point with your child to save yourself a little money on premiums.
Accidents, tickets, suspensions, or any other types of auto related mishaps can have a much more serious effect on a young driver’s insurance premiums than their more mature counterparts, sometimes doubling or even tripling rates depending on the specific offense or incident. That’s why it’s important as a parent to encourage your child to develop good driving habits:
- Ask them to always drive carefully. Short trips to the store are just as dangerous as long drives on the freeway.
- Tell them to drive with confidence. Help your child know the vehicle they are driving and the limits of their abilities (i.e. driving in poor weather, snow, at night). Practice with them until they are extremely comfortable driving solo.
- Teach them to avoid distractions such as cell phones, especially if they are illegal to use while driving in your state.
- Make certain they know that drinking and driving is never acceptable.
Your child’s initial introduction to driving is an approved driver’s training course. If you live in a state where driver’s training is not provided by the school system and you must choose your own private training firm, you have a lot more control. Don’t skimp on this important training. Pick a thorough, accredited, and highly rated course that teaches more than just the basics. Look for a driver’s education class that also teaches things such as defensive driving and specialized situational driving techniques.
Most importantly, explain to your teen the importance of maintaining a clean driving record now so they don’t pay the price for poor driving in the future such as higher insurance rates or other restrictions to their driving privileges due to points on their license, or legal problems associated with a poor driving record. If you get them started off on the right foot, you can ensure that they have a safer, more problem free driving experience as they mature into adulthood.
For more information on auto insurance that fits your needs, get a free Knoxville Auto Insurance Quote today!
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