If you ask any teenager what they are looking forward to doing the most as
they get older, at the top of most lists is probably being able to drive. After
all, being licensed to drive gives teens a great sense of freedom – they can
now come and go as they please; they are no longer dependent on mom and dad to
get them where they need to go.
However, the time when teens begin to drive can potentially be the most deadly.
Every day
seven
teens ages 16 to 19 die from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash.
And the crash rate is
3.7
times higher for 16 year old drivers compared to drivers all of all ages,
and 2.7 higher for drivers aged 16 to 19.
For parents that are conducting a used cars search for appropriate vehicle
options for their teen drivers, how can they help them stay as safe as
possible? Here’s a look at five in-car options to look for during their used
cars search.
Side Airbags
Although everybody knows about airbags as a safety component in vehicles,
some may not realize the importance of side airbags. A
study
conducted in 2006 conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
found side airbags that protected driver’s heads helped reduce deaths in cars
that were hit on the driver side by about 37 percent.
Electronic Stability Control
ESC works through speed sensors that are placed on all wheels and the
steering wheel to help drivers when on roads that are slippery or very curved.
If the ESC system notices the vehicle is about to go in an opposite direction
from where the steering wheel is pointed, is will break the necessary wheels to
help keep the car under control. ESC can be found vehicles from 2012, and even
earlier.
Crash Avoidance Technology
Over the past few years, vehicle manufacturers have unveiled
a crop of new applications to help drivers avoid car accidents. These
crash
avoidance technologies work by providing the driver with warnings, or in
some instances even automatically putting on the brakes. Examples of these
technologies to look for in a used cars search include blind spot detection,
adaptive headlights, lane departure warning, and front crash prevention.
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
An ABS is another
safeguard
against slippery roads, as well as inexperienced young drives that may find
themselves “panic braking” in certain situations. The ABS helps ensure the
brakes on a car do not lock up, which could cause a driver to lose control of
the vehicle. ABS on the rear wheels allows the vehicle to keep moving in a
straight line, while ABS on all wheels allows the driver to maintain steering
capabilities.
Seat Belt Reminder System
Although the “ding, ding, ding” that
reminds you to buckle up every time you’re in the car can be rather annoying,
studies show they do save lives. For instance, a
study published in 2008
found 97.5 percent of passengers put on a seat belt when in a vehicle with a
reminder system, while only about 86 percent did in cars without a reminder.
And teens need all the reminders they can — a 2002 study found that only 69
percent of teens ages 16 to 24 wear their seat belts, and more than two-thirds
of teens killed in car crashes were not wearing seat belts.
