The day has come – your teenagers have just turned 16 and have already passed their drivers tests. They’ve been bugging you for months about the car they want you to buy them once they get their licenses – and of course, it’s that new sporty model. You know the one – 0-60 in three seconds or less. The same one you’ve been having nightmares about, skidding out of control as your child takes a turn too fast.
Sit down and take a deep breath. Buying a car for your teenager doesn’t have to be a nightmare if you do your research and know what to look for in a car.
Do your research
There’s a lot of safety rating information available for all makes and models of cars available online. Try to steer clear from cars that look sporty, as they tend to encourage speeding in teenagers. Also, SUVs and pickups have a higher rollover rating then cars, so you can scratch them off your list. Small compact cars are also no good – being so small, they offer little protection for the occupants of the car. Family cars and mid-sized cars have the highest safety ratings, making them a great choice for your new teen driver. Try to choose the newest one that you can afford, as newer cars tend to have more safety regulations then older models.
Prepare for the talk
Once you’ve found a few models that you feel would work well for your teenager, look for information on those that could give them a higher appeal rating. You want your teenagers to be safe, but you also want them to like the car. Maybe there are some “upgrades” you could do to the car after purchasing, like some decals or a new stereo system. Make a list of the options you’re willing to buy, along with the selling points of the car itself. Print out some of the information you’ve collected to show your teenager if you feel this will help.
Talk with your teenager
If your teenagers are dead set on that sporty model, you’ll need to talk with them before you go out and buy a car. If you go without talking to them first, you’ll have a harder time getting them to accept the car than you will if you bring them in on the decision.
For teenagers, getting their drivers licenses is one of the first big steps towards adulthood. But, although they want to be treated like adults, talking with teenagers can still be harder than going head to head with the best debate teams in the nation. Have your statistics about the safety ratings and accident trends on the car they want on hand to help show how unsafe they are for a “first car”. Also, have the information you’ve prepared on the cars you’re willing to buy on hand during the discussion.
They’ll probably still complain and beg you to buy that hot new sports car, but you’re going to have to be tough on this, since it concerns their safety. Stress the selling points and the upgrades you could do with your teenager to help make the car look “cool”. Explain that you’re letting them in on this decision since they’re becoming adults.
Stay firm on your decision
If all goes well with your discussion, that’s great! But if not, you need to stay firm on your decision with your teenagers. Remember, you’re the parent – it’s your job to look out for their safety, not to appease their every desire. Hopefully, you can get them to buy into the decision making process with you, but if not, keep in mind that they’ll eventually calm down and accept the reality that having an “uncool” car is better than having no car at all.
