Adding a Teenager to Car Insurance

Adding a teenager to car insurance can be a challenging time for parents. Not only are parents anxious about their teen’s driving safety, they often suffer from “sticker shock” when faced with an increase in premium.
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Below is a look at how teens drive these days. This information will give you a better understanding of the risks teen drivers pose and provide ways to save money.   Most importantly, you can use it to have a conversation with your teen about driving safety.

Ten TEEN DRIVING STATISTICS That Might Surprise You!

1. On average 6 teens die and 650+ are injured every day in the U.S. because of motor vehicle crashes¹.
2. The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens 16 to 19 years-old than among any other age group².
3. Six out of ten teen crashes are caused by driver distraction².
4. The fatal crash risk increases for each teenage passenger in a teen driver’s car¹.
5. One in three teenagers take their eyes off the road when app notifications come in while driving.
6. In 2017, Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics found most age groups, (and all groups under 25), male drivers are involved in more crashes than females. (Maybe this one is not a surprise?)
7. Crash risk is particularly high during the first months a teen obtains their license.
8. Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and follow other vehicles at an unsafe distance.
9. Compared with other age groups, teens have among the lowest rates of seat belt use¹.
10. Parents are key to safer teen driving.

¹Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ² Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
2 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

What Can Parents do to Help Encourage Safe Driving for Their Teenager?

• Sign your teen up for an approved “Behind the Wheel” driver education program. Not only can this reduce their crash risk, but it can potentially save money with driver training discounts many companies offer.
• Before your teenager hits the road, set clear rules and expectations about their behavior while behind the wheel. Establish a no-phone rule and a passenger limit, and perhaps only allow passengers after a year of driving experience.
• Have your teen sign a Parent-Teen Contract. Call or write us and we will send you one.  Outline the consequences in the contract if rules are violated.   Tell your teen driving is a privilege, not a right- to honor the rules if you want the privilege.
• Help your teenager to develop safe driving habits by examining their driving and providing constructive feedback. Give them adequate driving time under a variety of weather conditions and different times of the day.  Teach your teen to recognize hazards ahead and to anticipate the behavior of other drivers, especially at intersections, merging onto a highway, etc.
• If the teen has the car away at school, it is best not to allow a teen to allow other teens use of your auto. Remember, lend your auto, you lend your insurance too.
• Insist teens (and every passenger) buckle up before they begin driving.
• Consider not giving them their own car right away. Interestingly, teens who have to share a vehicle are half as likely to crash than those who have easy access to their own vehicle.
• Research Safe Cars for Teen Drivers. This can change from year to year, so be sure to use trusted sources, like Consumer Reports, Edmunds, etc.
• Have the discussion on the importance of not driving under any influence.  Remind them that drinking under 21 is illegal.
• Use the FREE “RoadReady” app to supervise driving.

​We hope these tips have been helpful.  In addition, if you have recently added a teenager to your auto policy, we are happy to review your car insurance to make sure you have every possible discount!  

We have helped our clients save hundreds of dollars when comparing current coverage with some our teen-friendly insurance companies. Give us a call at 610-376-7300 to see how we can help you.

https://www.dmv.pa.gov/Driver-Services/Teen-Drivers/Pages/default.aspx