A sad fact of our society is that auto accidents are the leading cause of death for teens aged 15 and above. Many factors go into an increased risk of accidents and fatalities for teens, including inexperience, reckless behavior, and distracted driving. If your teen is going to drive, you should carefully consider the vehicle they are going to use. There are many reasons that a muscle car is not the right choice, including lower safety ratings. Here are the reasons why your teen isn’t ready for a muscle car.
Safety Ratings
Muscle cars consistently rate lower than your average sedan in safety test ratings. While safety for all vehicles has come a long way over the past several decades, there is still a constant discrepancy between your average passenger vehicle and “cool cars” like muscle cars and convertibles.
That being said, with advancements in safety technology, a modern muscle car is going to have a higher safety rating than any car from fifty years ago. Because of this, putting your teen in any vehicle that is decades old is not the best option to ensure their safety either, even if it is a no-frills economy car.
Too Much Power
Muscle cars have a lot of power. That’s where they get their name. Teen drivers with inexperience behind the wheel and a tendency towards reckless behaviors are not the best group to put behind the wheel of these powerful machines. Teen drivers tend to pose a bigger threat to themselves and others when on the road than your average driver. Giving them a vehicle that is likely to increase the damage done to all parties is not ideal.
Peer Pressure
Teens face all sorts of pressures from parents, teachers, and peers alike. As all adults know, having been there before themselves, being a teenager can be a very challenging time in life. Teens struggle to figure out who they are while also often trying to appease all those around them and be accepted by everyone.
When your teen is driving a Kia Rio, they are a lot less likely to be pressured into taking it out for a drive to see how fast it can go. If a teen is behind the wheel of a Dodge Challenger, however, it will likely be a different story. Beyond the peer pressure, there is also just a general desire by many teens to show off. When your teen has a car worth showing off, they are much more likely to do so.
Increased Risk Posed by Teens
No matter what type of car your teen ends up driving, you are going to worry about them when they get behind the wheel. This concern is legitimate, as teen drivers tend to have high accident rates. Distracted driving in teens is deeply concerning. Distracted driving plays a factor in over half of crashes nationwide.
Teen drivers are particularly at risk both due to the fact that they are more likely to drive distracted and that due to inexperience, they are less likely to be able to recover quickly and correctly from distractions.
Cell phones and driving make for a particularly deadly combination. Unfortunately, this is a pairing that is often seen in teens. According to a 2018 survey from AAA, 46 percent of teens admit to texting and driving, and 51 percent confess to talking on their cell phones while the car was in motion. What the actual numbers are is a frightening prospect to think about, as you have to assume there are many teens who didn’t admit to these activities.
With thrill-seeking and the desire to show off for friends, risks from teenage drivers are increased. When a teen has passengers in the car, the risk of the driver being involved in a fatal accident doubles.
Make sure to have a serious talk with your teen driver about the responsibilities of driving and the risks involved every time they get behind the wheel. Impose a loss of driving privileges if you discover that they have committed unsafe driving practices. While you can’t be in the car with them every time they are on the road, you can at least make your presence felt. This feeling will likely help to deter reckless behavior.
When the Worst Happens
When your teen is involved in a car accident, you are going to want to hire a car accident lawyer to protect you and your family. If your teen was not at fault for the accident, then a lawyer can help get you a fair settlement. A reasonable offer is essential to pay for damage to the vehicle and any injuries that your teen may have suffered. If they were at fault, a car accident lawyer can help protect you and your family in the case of a lawsuit.
Contact an Atlanta car accident lawyer to discuss your options and decide on a plan. Damage from an accident is bad enough. Make sure you are protected in the aftermath.