Why Accident Statistics Drive Up Teen Drivers’ Insurance Rates
When teens are able to get their driver's license, they rush at the chance. And while parents are excited to see their teens take on more responsibility by having the opportunity to drive, there are other factors that need to be considered. The fact is that having a teen behind the wheel is a frightful time. With more and more people getting behind the wheel, it means more cars on the road and more chances for accidents and collisions. At the same time, parents want to be able to get affordable car insurance for their teen drivers so that their bills can be managed more easily. However, accident statistics may prevent parents from getting affordable car insurance rates even if their teen is a safe driver.
There are a number of factors that are considered in order to determine the insurance rate for a driver. Some of those factors include: Age, driving history, vehicle type, vehicle year, etc. The first and second on this list of factors pertains specifically to teen drivers. Because teen drivers are driving for the first time, they have no driving history. This lack of driving experience makes them risky for insurance companies since they do not know how to handle the roads and differing traffic patterns. There is much that teens need to learn about how others drive and how to stay safe on the road. They have to build up that driving history and until they do, they are inexperienced and thus far riskier behind the wheel.
Another factor that is truly the reason teen drivers have such high insurance rates is accident statistics. Teens are more likely to driver faster than the posted speed limit and drive recklessly than adults are. They feel like they have nothing to lose and therefore take more risks on the road. Because of their young age and very short experience on the road, they are also more susceptible to getting into accidents. In fact, statistics show that the number of teens getting into car accidents is rising each year, especially with more teen drivers on the road.
Now, while a teen may be a very responsible, careful, and safe driver, that does not take away from the fact that other teens are not as responsible or safe. Insurance companies take the average statistics, especially for teens since they have no driving history, to determine car insurance costs. But parents may be able to take advantage of discounts for good grades and others to help keep the rates manageable.
Accident statistics for teens show that they get into far more accidents than adults because of negligence. This is why teens have higher car insurance rates.
