Teenagers don’t need speed

A: It may be an age-old request, but more teenagers own cars than ever before. That’s partly because they are busier – so many teens have after-school activities and jobs that parents feel they need to buy cars for them out of convenience.

As a general rule, safety-conscious parents tend to focus on car size. Parents often buy SUVs because they think bigger is better. But only the newest models of SUVs have electronic stability control to prevent roll-overs and many parents can only afford the used models.

It is recommended that parents look for midsize sedans for their teens’ first cars. That includes small, sporty cars and SUVs.

SUVs are absolutely not a good choice for a teenager : The bottom line is you don’t have to buy a tank to get good safety.

When buying a new car, parents should make sure it includes all the safety feautures, like front and side airbags and anti-lock brakes. Parents should get used cars inspected by a mechanic and get a vehicle history.

But some experts say the safety of the car doesn’t matter as much as the driver’s level of responsibility. Speed has been the forgotten issue but it’s a big problem these days with young men. Also, teenagers think they are good at multi-tasking, but they’re not.

Parents shouldn’t necessarily shy away from a particular vehicle, but they should encourage good driving behaviour.