Teen Driving Awareness Month

How safe is your teen driver? January is Teen Driving Awareness month, and it’s named for good reason. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. In fact, the data paints a grim picture of heartache for any parent: every day in the United States, six teens between the ages of 16-19 are killed in motor vehicle accidents.

Let’s Discuss Tips on Teen Driver Safety and Dangers:

The age factor is critical in assessing the safety of your teen driver. Between the ages of 16-19, teens are three times more likely to die in a car accident than drivers age 20 or older, and males are twice as more likely than females to be involved in crashes.

Although teens in this age group are typically coming right out their driving education and lessons, the novelty of driving impacts their safety. Teens are reported to largely underestimate dangerous situations. They also tend to speed more than older drivers and allow less room between cars. Combined with the fact that teens have the lowest rates of seat belt use among all drivers, it’s clear to see why these scary facts exist.

While it’s impossible to prevent all bad situations on the road, there are several important actions you can take to protect yourself and your teen driver. If you have a teen driver in your household, your role in protecting and educating them is pivotal. In fact, the CDC specifically names parents as one of the most important components of protecting teens on the road.

Parents can actively participate in their children’s driving experience:

• Creating parent-teen driving agreements
• Participating in your state’s graduated driver licensing system
• Reviewing and/or practicing reactions to the Eight Danger Zones of driving
• Adding your teen driver to your family auto insurance policy

Teen drivers can be costlier to insure than drivers in other age ranges. The risk factors associated with teen drivers are much higher, especially given their dangerous driving statistics. With Cincinnatus Insurance as your insurance partner, you can find many ways to add additional protections without breaking the bank.

Here are some helpful tips for insuring your teen driver:

• Add your teen to your existing family auto policy instead of getting them a separate policy
• If your teen is getting his or her own car, consider highly-rated, safe cars for your teen driver over a more expensive car
• Talk with your agent about a multiple vehicle policy or a multi-line discount
• Review how your teen will be using your car and ensure good driver behavior, which may lead to discounts

At Cincinnatus Insurance, we are here to partner with you and set you up for success. We can help you select the insurance plan that works best for your family, including your teen driver.

Prepare in advance: Give Cincinnatus Insurance a call today for advice on insuring your teen driver before they hit the road.