A modern rite of passage for many families today is the day a first car is selected for the teenage driver.  And in the process of choosing a car, parents are often take 2 factors into consideration: car accident safety and price.

There may be nothing wrong with these two considerations, because as for car accident safety, teenage drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times as likely to get into car accidents as older more experienced motor vehicle drivers, due to many reasons, including DUI, reckless driving, and lack of experience in car accident emergencies.  Our car accident attorneys, we strongly believe safety should be of first priority when selecting a car to protect against serious injuries or even possibly wrongful deaths in case of car accidents.

And price is taken into consideration for almost anything, although if the two priorities clash, we believe that safety should be considered more important.

Many parents indeed do choose safety over price in their choice of a first car for their children to protect them in the event of an automobile accident.  Unfortunately, many parents make this decision under the wrong assumptions.  A common misconception is that the newer the car, the safer.  However, new cars are not necessarily safer than used cars (here is where to do some basic car accident prevention research) if there is a car accident.

Experts also believe it is a good idea to check car crash-test ratings.  Both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publish car crash test ratings.  The results are slightly different, so it would be better to check both.

For instance, an $18,000 new car may lack in side-impact air bags in the event of a car accident, but a used car with a tested and recorded reliability record can cost only $13,000.

But, as car accident lawyers, we do not believe the safest car is the oldest car in the event of an automobile accident.  Always be sure to check car accident crash-test ratings as well as researching further online.  Some of the oldest used cars you can find on the market today may not even have any air bags in the event of an automobile accident.

As car accident attorneys, we read about experts that say that they are often also asked whether to get a sedan or a larger automobile.  There is, however, no clear answer to that question.  They both have advantages and disadvantages.  All other things equal, a small car has a better reaction time than a large car in an emergency, but the large car may offer more crash protection in the case of an auto accident.  Death rates in small cars are about twice those in large car.  On the other hand, larger vehicles like vans allow for more passengers.  And in the last 10 years, studies have shown that the more teenagers are in a motor vehicle, the more likely a car accident is.

But no matter what motor vehicle type the teenager gets, it is more important to teach teenagers careful driving and car accident prevention techniques (such as no teenage DUI) than just choosing the car with the best safety features in the case of an automobile accident.  The safest car in the hands of an inexperience or reckless DUI teenage driver can still be a death trap.

As car accident attorneys, we have handled cases where parents mourn and grieve over the loss of their child, so we believe that safety is essential, both in the safety of the car chosen, and in the experience that you teach them in driving a automobile.

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney after you get into a car accident and find out how we can help you.  We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case.   No fee if no recovery.