Many parents opt to give their new teen drivers an older hand-me-down car or to purchase an older vehicle to save a little money on their childs first car. However, a new study shows that that may not be the safest choice for your teen driver.
According to a recent study published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, almost one half of teen drivers who died in an auto accident were driving a vehicle that was more than a decade old.
Those older vehicles lacked important safety features that are now required in all newer models. For instance, electronic steering control was not required in vehicles until 2012. Only one out of every ten teen drivers was driving a vehicle that had this option. Stability control alone has been shown to cut single car accident deaths in half.
Side-impact airbags are another safety feature that, although it was introduced in 1989, did not become standard in vehicles until very recently. These airbags have been shown to protect the head and torso of drivers and passengers in the event of an accident.
Simply put, newer vehicles will most likely have a better crash test rating and will have improved features to protect your child from injury.
Teen drivers are the one age group that is most likely to be involved in a car accident. They are three times more likely to be in a fatal accident than adult drivers. More than 2,600 teens died in auto accidents in 2011 and about 290,000 were injured.
If you or your teen driver is injured in an auto accident caused by a negligent driver, turn to the auto accident attorneys in Knoxville that you can trust at Greg Coleman Law. Our injury lawyers are dedicated to getting justice for you.
Call (865) 247-0080 to speak with a representative today.
