Consumer Reports: The Safest Cars for Teens
Parents are usually very curious about which car they should choose for their young driver. Safety is a priority of course. After all, almost 34,000 individuals died in car crashes in the U.S. last year, and auto crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers, reported an article on CBSNews.com.
Consumer Reports has just issued its safest vehicles list. For teens, parents may want to choose a vehicle that has a reasonable size, four-cylinders without too much power, good crash test results, and safety features.
Florida auto accident attorneys would agree that safety features should include electronic stability control, curtain air bags on the side of the vehicle, and a car with a strong structure.
We learned about the importance of stability control after seeing so many Ford Explorer rollovers. Around for more than ten years, electronic stability control or ESC, keeps the vehicle moving forward on a turn and avoids sliding. It will be standard equipment on all 2012 models and presently is on high-end vehicles. This is important technology for the less experienced driver. Look for names such as ESC, Stabilitrack, AdvanceTrac, Vehicle Stability Assist, and others.
Consumer Reports says that the largest vehicles may not always keep teen drivers safe. Larger, heavy cars are more difficult to control and may not handle as well as a smaller vehicle with agility and safety features.
And good news for teens — Consumer Reports suggests teens get a new car with all of the safety features rather than a used family vehicle that may be lacking in safety features that are so important for the new driver.
CBS reports on Consumer Reports’ picks for teens:
Small sedans: Hyundai Elantra SE (2008-2010), Mazda3 (2007 — ), Scion xB (2008 — )
Midsized sedans: Acura TSX (2004-), Honda Accord (2008 — ), Kia Optima (2007 — )
Small SUVs: Honda CR-V (2005 — ), Nissan Rogue (2008 — )
