Car dashboardSo,ย youโ€™ve recently attained your full driverโ€™s license and you have a new car thatโ€™s yours to drive. Congratulations!ย A whole new worldย ofย freedomsย haveย been opened up for you.ย (Still looking at vehicles for you or your teen? Read on, we will cover the safety features to look for and how to choose the right car, truck or van for new drivers later in this article.)ย ย 

Before you go drivingย offย into the sunset in your new ride, itโ€™s important toย take some time to learn all the ins and outs of the car. Becoming familiar with all the features not only helps you feel more comfortable when you get behind the wheel, but it also enhances your safety โ€“ and the safety of others on the road with you.โ€ฏโ€ฏโ€ฏย 

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The Importance of Familiarizing Yourself with Your New Vehicleย 

Todayโ€™sย cars and trucks are equipped with a variety of safety features, stereoโ€ฏand navigationโ€ฏoptions,โ€ฏbraking systems,ย traction control, and so much more.โ€ฏThe dealership may have spent a few minutes walking you through all those buttons and lights on the dashboard, but do you really understand how all the systems function?โ€ฏโ€ฏย 

Being ableโ€ฏto react quickly to any situation is keyโ€ฏto safe driving. This means understanding how to adapt to changing weather or road conditionsย atย a momentโ€™s notice, as these conditions can significantly impact the abilityโ€ฏtoย drive safely.ย Before you put the key in the ignition, you should knowย at a minimum the following:ย ย 

  • How to turn on the headlights and windshield wipers,โ€ฏย 
  • How the instrumentation panel works,ย ย 
  • How to properlyย adjust your seats and mirrors.โ€ฏโ€ฏย 
  • How theย backup cameras andย sensors work.ย 
  • How toย useย yourโ€ฏadaptiveโ€ฏcruise control for a longer road trip.ย ย 
  • How to use any extraย safety systems, such as blind spotโ€ฏdetectionโ€ฏand/orโ€ฏlane departureโ€ฏwarning, installed on your car.ย ย 

Take some time to test out each of these features and ensure that you can switch them on at a momentโ€™s notice and interpret any alerts you might receive while driving.ย For more details on specific auto features, check out our articles onย the science behind proper seat and mirror position, andย everything you need to know about backup cameras and alarms.ย 

 

Tips for Buying a Car for a Teenโ€ฏย 

Looking for a car for your new teen driver? Driving and maintainingย their ownย car teaches teens responsibility, especially if you include them in the buying process and they will be helping with the payments.โ€ฏย 

Be sure toย do your research first.ย Your biggest concern with new, inexperienced drivers should be safety.ย Theโ€ฏNational Highwayย Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)ย hasย lotsย of information regarding crash test results on all the different models of cars. Look for cars with 5-star ratings, as these will be the safest options for your teen.ย Alsoย take aย look at the reliability and quality ratings on a website likeโ€ฏJ.D. Power and Associates.ย ย 

Consider the size of the car as well. Bigger is not always better!ย We recommend avoidingย large SUVs or trucks, as these can be more difficult for new drivers to handle. Plus, they are at a greater riskโ€ฏof rollover because of their higherโ€ฏcentersโ€ฏof gravity.โ€ฏLikewise, a veryย lightweightย compactย car is not the safest option, either. They donโ€™t provide as much protection as a larger car.โ€ฏAnd it goes without saying that fast sports cars will offer way too much temptation forย young drivers to speed.ย 

Not only will choosing the right vehicle give you extra peace of mind as your teen driver ventures out into the world, aย safer car will also help keep your insurance premiums lower, since the accident risk is decreased.โ€ฏโ€ฏย 

 

Safety Features to Considerย 

The types of safety features available on a vehicle will vary, depending on whether youโ€™re buying a new car or an older car for your teen. Many newer cars have crash-avoidance featuresย and technology to help your teen avoid distracted driving. New cars are also required by law to have front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control,โ€ฏand electronic stability control.โ€ฏย 

Thereโ€™s nothing wrong with buying an older vehicleย as long as it has theย necessaryย features to keep your teen safe behind the wheel.ย Beย sureย to lookย for features like airbags, anti-lock brakes, automatic transmission and daytime running lights.ย ย โ€ฏ

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DriveTeamโ€™sย Vehicle Orientation Programโ€ฏย 

DriveTeamโ€ฏrecently announcedย ourโ€ฏNew Vehicle Orientation Programย designed to make every driver on the road more knowledgeable and confident inโ€ฏtheir new vehicle.โ€ฏThisย one-day,ย four-hour course features both classroom sessions and real-life driving experiences where your teen will learn everything aboutโ€ฏtheirย vehicleโ€™s safety systemsโ€ฏtoโ€ฏthe cameras, mirror adjustments, traction control and so much more.โ€ฏโ€ฏContact usโ€ฏtoday to get started.โ€ฏย