How Driving Like A Cullen Drives Up Rates For Teens
If you have a teenager, it is likely they know exactly who Edward Cullen is. And if they know who Edward is, they may be impressed with how he drives: fast and very exciting to watch. The bad news is that driving like a Cullen may drive up your teenager's insurance rates. What sounds cool in books and looks cool in movies is just plain risky in real life, and risky behavior makes it harder to get a good insurance quote. Auto insurance quotes are about risk factors, and the more reckless a driver's behavior, the more expensive the quote.
There are several reasons why reckless driving drives up rates for teens. Many auto insurers use statistics to formulate their auto insurance quotes for younger drivers, and statistics are not in favor of younger drivers. Statistics demonstrate that drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are the most likely age group to be in a vehicular accident. The cost of injuries in accidents is also high for teen drivers. Estimates state that young drivers may account for as much as 30% of the cost of injuries to men and 28% of the cost of injuries for women. Per mile, teenager drivers are four times more likely to be in an accident than any other age group.
Higher levels of risk taking behavior, like the way the Cullen's drive, may account for why teenagers tend to be in more accidents than other age groups. Whether you call this poor judgment or reckless driving, the fact is that auto insurance companies see it as risky behavior-behavior that may result in more cost and money for them. Many teenagers have yet to develop the ability to assess risky situations properly, usually downplaying the amount of risk to themselves and others, even in a driving situation. Therefore, a teenager is likelier to make a poor judgment call that then result in an accident. This kind of poor judgment results in more accidents for teenagers than other groups of drivers.
Teen drivers are also less likely to engage in safety measures than other age groups which also contribute to them being seen as reckless drivers. Teen drivers are less likely to use seat belts, for instance, causing a higher rate of injury when they are in accidents. This can drive the rate of an auto insurance quote up dramatically.
What may sound like a good idea before heading out on the road may not actually be so in practice. The average teenager will have the urge to speed down roads like the actors they watch. It's important not lok to Cullen for driving tips. Also, comparing different auto insurance quotes can save you money, keeping your teenager from sucking your wallet dry.
