Learning how to drive a motor vehicle involves more than traffic laws, turn signals, and speed limits. Young drivers also need to know what to do when something goes wrong. This means practicing in real-life situations and under different weather and driving conditions, and knowing how to change a flat tire, identify a dashboard warning light, or check the car’s oil. As your teen transitions from passenger to driver, the best thing you can do is educate them.

At Endurance, we regularly speak with parents of new teen drivers. Oftentimes, they’ve just bought a used car for their teen and want to know what’s covered if something breaks. We’re here to help you understand what to expect, so you and your teen can feel confident and ready for the road ahead.

Here are our top 6 road safety tips to help guide your teen toward becoming a safe driver.

#1. Start with Structured Practice

Every state has a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program, and young teen drivers are legally required to complete a specific number of supervised driving hours (typically 40-70) before they can take the road test. For example, all teens under 18 in Pennsylvania must hold a learner’s permit for at least 6 months. They also need 65 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours of night driving and 5 hours in bad weather.

Help your teen become a responsible driver by giving them plenty of real-world experience in a variety of driving situations. Start in low-traffic areas, like parking lots, and move on to highways, where they can experience merging and changing lanes. Take them out at night and in the rain to practice using their wipers, and try exposing them to one-way streets, roundabouts, and the rules for stopping for school buses to better understand the rules of the road.

#2. Drill Defensive Driving Fundamentals

Car crashes are the leading cause of death in teens aged 15-18 years old, and NHTSA data identifies distracted driving as a significant contributing factor in teen crashes. Your new driver needs to hear—over and again—why the phone needs to be “out of sight, out of mind.” Remember, you are the role model.

If your teenager sees you with a cell phone in your hand while at the steering wheel, an unbuckled seatbelt, or otherwise distracted, they’ll likely adopt these bad driving behaviors too. You can also help keep your teen driving safely by teaching defensive driving techniques like the following:

1. Keeping a safe following distance. Leave a 3-second gap between your vehicle and the one ahead. For extra safety, increase the stopping distance to 4 or 5 seconds when driving in bad weather or heavy traffic.
2. Scanning, then going. Always check your blind spots and look left, right, and left again before proceeding into an intersection. Just because a light turns green doesn’t mean it’s safe to move through. People blow through red lights all the time.

#3. Research Insurance for Teen Drivers

Did you know that adding a 16-year-old to your auto insurance policy can significantly increase insurance costs? Although insurance rates usually go down once your teen turns 21, the initial increase can be a big financial strain. Keep in mind that an auto protection plan is different. These contracts are purchased separately and cover repairs for mechanical or electrical breakdowns resulting from normal use. Auto insurance covers accidents, liability, and theft.

Before you start gathering quotes, find out which providers offer the lowest insurance rates for teens, what lowers insurance costs, and which discounts may be available to you. Ask your auto insurance provider about the following options:

Good Student Discounts

Your teen might be able to save about 4% on car insurance if they’re a high school or college student with good grades. This usually means having a B average or higher (a 3.0 GPA or above), ranking in the top 20% of their class, or making the Dean’s List or Honor Roll.

Defensive Driving Course Discounts

Driving lessons and driver’s ed for teens are a great way to help young drivers feel more confident behind the wheel. They teach how to recognize road hazards, handle emergencies, and stay calm if something goes wrong. Some insurance companies will even give you a discount if your teen finishes a safety course.

For example, Erie Insurance has a program called teenSMART that teaches defensive driving and could save you up to 20% on your insurance if your teen completes it. Check with your insurance agent to see what courses are available to you.

High Safety-Rated Vehicle Discounts

Find out which automobiles qualify for safety discounts before you buy your teen a car. Vehicles like the Toyota Corolla sedan and Honda Insight have high safety ratings and are recommended for teen drivers. Some even qualify for lower insurance rates. Certain cars with advanced safety features, such as restraint systems, anti-lock brakes, and daytime running lights, may also qualify for discounts.

#4. Teach Vehicle Maintenance Basics

The keys to the car aren’t the only things you should send your teen out the door with. As they’re learning to drive, teach them valuable car ownership and driving skills, too.

Offer step-by-step lessons and driving tips like:

• How to check engine oil levels: Show your teen how to lift the hood. Point out the dipstick (often yellow or orange), and then pull it out, wipe it clean, and reinsert it. Then, pull it out again. Pinpoint how the oil must fall between the marks to indicate a proper level. Anything less means investigating the issue and adding more.
• Where to find the spare tire and jack: Identify their locations and take the time to teach how to change a tire.
• How to inspect tire pressure: Point out the tire pressure number on the driver’s side door sticker, or in your owner’s manual. Show how to remove the cap from a tire’s air valve, use a tire gauge to check the pressure, and compare it to the recommended number.
• Where dashboard warning lights appear: Explain where and why dashboard warning lights appear. Talk about the check engine light, oil pressure light, temperature warning light, and the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) light. Use your phone to look up each icon so your teen knows what to expect.
• Why you need insurance and registration documents: Emphasize the importance of keeping important paperwork close in the glove box, and explain why and when you need it.
• Who to call for roadside assistance: Save your roadside assistance number in your teen’s phone, and tell them what info they’ll need in an emergency.

#5. Choose and Protect Your Teen’s First Car

Choosing your teen’s first car is about more than picking a brand—it’s about safety and avoiding surprise repair bills. Reliable cars like Toyotas or Hondas can be great options for teens. Still, even these can have problems as they age. So always have a mechanic check any used car first.

Keep in mind, older vehicles may be more likely to require significant repairs over time, and fixing a single part can sometimes cost more than the car itself. AAA says it costs about $11,577 a year to own and drive a new car.

However, for teens with an older car, like one that’s 10 years old and has over 100,000 miles, the costs can add up even faster. Cars this old are much more likely to have costly mechanical problems. Fixing the transmission or air conditioning can cost more than you paid for the whole car.

Also, car insurance doesn’t cover everything. Most policies cover accidents, not broken parts. An extended car warranty or vehicle service contract (VSC), however, may help cover certain repair costs associated with mechanical breakdowns as a car gets older.

#6. Learn How Endurance Can Help

If your teen’s car is still under the original factory warranty, you probably won’t need extra coverage on it right away. But an extended car warranty may be worth considering for drivers of older, high-mileage cars. Our contracts are designed to help you manage certain repair costs and get you a tow when you need it, which may provide added peace of mind.

With Endurance, you have access to 24/7 roadside help, repair coverage at any ASE-certified shop, and reimbursements for rental cars and trip interruptions. You can also manage everything online with the Endurance Customer Portal. And depending on your eligibility and the plan you choose, Endurance handles most of the paperwork for you, making it much simpler to file a claim.

Explore Endurance Coverage Options

If your teen is driving a used car without an extended warranty or vehicle service contract, reach out to us for a free, no-obligation quote. The quote process can be completed quickly, so you’ll have the coverage answers you need fast.

Call the Endurance team at (800) 253-8203 to learn more about your options, or see your price and coverage recommendations on our online store.