Let’s Talk About Insuring Your Teenage Driver

As the school year ends, many teens will enjoy their high school proms or graduations while parents will manage all aspects of having a new driver in their household. Just last month, a ClarksvilleNow headline – “Tips, Information for Parents of Teen Drivers During Prom Season” – caught our attention. Today we thought it would be a good idea to be part of this conversation. Are you ready? Ok, let’s talk about insuring your teenage driver.

Some facts to consider…

As with all things parenting, it seems children grow up too fast. Parents look forward to first grade and, in no time at all, their son or daughter is promoted to high school. Suddenly, accountability is a word frequently included in discussions with our teenagers. This is particularly the case when a teen becomes of age to apply for their learner’s permit or driver’s license. In November 2018, we touched on this subject when we published “Teen Driver Safety Is A Family Affair.”

Understanding teenage drivers’ statistics is vital for both parents and their children. DoSomething.org prepared the following list for your consideration:

1. 33% of deaths among 13 to 19-year-olds in 2010 occurred in motor vehicle crashes.
2. 16-year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age.
3. 56% of teens said they talk on the phone while driving.
4. Statistics show that 16 and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger.
5. Only 44% of teens said they would definitely speak up if someone were driving in a way that scared them.
6. Teen drivers with involved parents are twice as likely to wear seat belts.
7. More than 40% of teen auto deaths occur between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
8. Talking on a cell phone can double the likelihood of an accident as well as slow a young driver’s reaction time down to that of a 70-year-old.
9. 1 in 5 of 16-year-old drivers has an accident within their first year of driving.
10. 56% of teenagers rely on their parents to learn how to drive.
11. Crash risk for teens increase incrementally with each mile per hour over the speed limit.

A talk about insuring your teenage driver is a “two-way street”

The Insurance Information Institute (III), offers advice about the things a parent should be accountable for when their teenager reaches his/her 16th birthday:

• • Call your insurance agent. Our John Bailey Company team is here to help you insure a great life. We are an independent insurance agency; we solve problems, provide protection, and generate opportunities for our clients by creating insurance solutions. We can walk you through the process of adding your teenager to your auto insurance policy.
  • Outline for your teen the responsibilities that will impact their behavior: driving safety, cost of insurance and how their driving behavior will affect that cost.
  • Understand that school grades can impact insurance premiums.
  • Encourage your teen to take a driving training course. Many people learn better from a trained instructor, as opposed to a parent or other relative.
  • Assign your teen to a particular car, if this option is available. Teach your teenager that if such an assignment is arranged, there are no exceptions. They must only drive the car that includes them as a driver on the policy.
  • Discuss with your agent increasing your liability insurance coverage and raising your deductible.

A teenager, as an active participant in this critical next step, can agree to be accountable in the following ways:

• • Study hard and keep your grades at a level that can help reduce your insurance premium.
  • Understand the rules of the road.
  • Cooperate with your driver training instructor by asking questions and taking their advice on how to be a safe driver.
  • Engage in conversations with your parents and consider completing a Teen Driver Contract, created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
  • Research safe driving tips. Be focused, check your car before you drive, and avoid distracted driving.
  • Investigate registering for B.R.A.K.E.S.Teen Pro-Active Driving Training. Their team will be at the Memphis International Raceway October 26-27, 2019.

Some final thoughts about insuring your teenage driver

We have offered much for our current and future clients to consider as they prepare for this rite of passage. It’s important to remember that you are not alone in this journey. We are all in this together – that includes the automobile industry. Just this week we learned that Chevrolet has committed to promoting safe driving habits with Teen Driver Technology.

Educate yourself and your teenage children. Discuss risks and how safe driving can save lives (and keep your insurance costs in line). Remember, the John Bailey Company is here for you. And together, we will insure a great life!