When a teenager first gets their license they’re often filled to the brim with excitement, eager to explore the open road; meanwhile, their parents nervously chew on their fingernails. But before they can jump behind the wheel, like most drivers, they need to be insured. Teens may be alarmed to find out, however, that insurance rates for young adults are often considerably higher than other age groups. This is because people from the age of 16 to 19 are often considered high risk drivers, and are more likely to be involved in an automobile accident than any other category of people.

If rates are higher when purchasing car insurance for teenagers it is simply because statistics show that they are considerably more dangerous while driving. In 2009 roughly 3,000 teenagers in the United States between the ages of 15 and 19 were killed, while over 350,000 others were treated in emergency rooms for injuries sustained from automobile accidents. Young drivers ages 15-24 account for nearly 30% of the total cost of vehicle related injuries among males, amounting to nearly $19 billion dollars, and nearly 28% of total medical costs from vehicle related injuries among females, which is about $7 billion dollars. Teenagers are also far less likely to wear seat belts than adults, and in 2008 roughly 3 of every 4 youths killed in an automobile accident as a result of drinking and driving was not wearing the proper restraints. Insurers will often asses all of these risks when calculating premiums, and with these statistics it is obvious why rates are increased for younger drivers.

Bringing Down the Price of Teenage Insurance

Although the price of auto insurance is often higher for teenagers, there are still many things that could be done to help lower costs. Like everyone else, teens can easily benefit from doing a quick online quote comparison to see which companies are offering the best prices. Shopping around takes only minutes and could result in significant savings. Because of the types of statistics surrounding young drivers, as stipulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there is a fairly good chance that premiums will be higher, making comparison shopping that much more important. This is why teenagers should choose to explore the benefits of being added to their parent’s policy rather than purchasing one on their own. This option can typically end up costing much less, especially if the parents already have excellent coverage at a great price. Although, this option does come with some potential pitfalls such as increased rates, it may still be a cheaper alternative. Parents and children should compare rates based on both options to see which would lead to the best deal.

To maximize savings, teens should ensure that the different types of discounts that many insurance companies offer are taken advantage of. Often, students can get a Good Student discount by maintaining a B average (3.0 GPA), which in turn gives parents another reason to make sure their children are studying. Students could also benefit from a low mileage discount, assuming that they typically only drive to and from school. If a policy provider sees that a motorist is driving a low number of miles they’ll be more inclined to lower premiums because less driving means less of a chance to get in an accident. Additionally, completing a drivers training course is not only an excellent way of lowering coverage costs, but it can also teach teens valuable information to become better drivers and stay safer on the road.