They accordingly pose a large risk to their auto insurers. New teenage drivers thus face some of the highest auto insurance costs. There are some strategies they can use to lower their premiums and to reduce their chance of being in an accident.

• Auto insurers assume that teenagers with higher grades at school or college are more responsible than their peers.   It may be an inaccurate perception but those with high grades are generally looked at as ‘academics’ and not ‘partyers’. Thus, these ‘academic’ types may be at a lesser change of being careless risk takers driving under the influence.
• A telematic device installed on your vehicle can record driving speed, braking speed, cornering speed, and a host of other information about your driving habits. This allows your insurer to charge you based on your own driving habits, and not on those of your peers.
• If you drive your own car, rather than your parents’, and it is an hand-me-down from another relative, check its financial value. If you think you will pay a lot more on comprehensive insurance than the vehicle is worth, drop the comprehensive insurance. Do this calculation carefully, however, it is not worth dropping comprehensive coverage for a car that is still worth so much that an insurance pay-out will buy you a new one after the old one is scrapped.
• If you drive your own car, try to add an older responsible person to your policy. You can also do this through sharing a multi-vehicle policy with your parents.
• If you want to buy your first car, consult some insurance companies first. Some models are more expensive to insure than others, either because they have no accident prevention features, or because they are popular with car thieves.
• Most importantly, keep your driving record clean. Your objective is to prove to your insurer that you are a responsible teenager who drives well and is therefore only a small risk to them. An accident, especially one caused by your own negligence, will not help. Neither will a pile of traffic fines.
• Install security devices and park the car safely to prevent it from being stolen.

Some of the cost of your auto insurance is in your own hands. Let your contribution be a positive one.