Is there a newly licensed driver in your home?
Acquiring a driver’s license is a big and exciting step for every student, and it comes with a lot of responsibility. With 16-19-year-olds being involved in a higher rate of auto accidents than any other age group and over 650 teens getting injured in motor vehicle crashes every day, it is understandable to be worried about your teen driver.1 There are ways to actively practice risk management with your child and reduce the chance of a car accident, though. In fact, 3 out of every 4 teen driver incidents are due to “critical errors”, which mainly consist of speeding, distractions, and lack of scanning the road.2 Fortunately, these dangerous driving habits can be easily improved upon and corrected.
Over half of teen auto accidents are a result of distracted driving, so having multiple passengers and easy access to mobile devices are both preventable catalysts for auto accidents.3 Teens are also more likely to drive above the speed limit and follow other drivers at an unsafe distance. Putting together a parent-child driving contract is one way to actively mitigate the chance of an accident occurring. This agreement could state rules and guidelines addressing the speed they drive, the time of day or night they are driving, and how many passengers are allowed in the vehicle with them.
In addition to these new worries about your child’s safety, there is also a financial burden that comes with adding a newly licensed driver to your insurance policy. While your insurance rate is likely to increase, there are ways to potentially offset this additional cost. Going through a driver’s education and training program generally results in a discount for new drivers. Additionally, most companies offer discounts for good students with a GPA above a 3.0. The choice of vehicle for your child also affects the rate, as new higher-end vehicles result in higher premiums. Depending on your insurance provider, you might be able to put a smart device in the vehicle that would provide a future discount for good driving habits. While these devices do not track where the driver is going, it does monitor rapid braking, fast accelerations, and late-night driving.
For more information on your insurance options with a newly added teen driver, please contact Ben Musser, PLCS at (425) 691-2597 or at bmusser@tpgrp.com.
1 CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html
2 Safeco Insurance: https://www.safeco.com/blog/teen-driving-stats
3 Safeco Insurance: https://www.safeco.com/blog/teen-driving-stats
About the Author
Ben Musser loves helping individuals and families gain peace of mind by providing Property and Casualty risk management solutions to protect them in the case of an unforeseen financial loss. He graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Economics and History, while also working as a Financial Advising Intern at Foresters Financial.
He lives in the Leschi neighborhood of Seattle and loves to spend time at local parks and restaurants. In his free time, Ben enjoys golfing, the outdoors, gardening, and coaching youth sports. He also has a strong interest in financial markets and wellness.
Phone: (425) 691-2597 | Email: Bmusser@tpgrp.com
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