With the start of summer now officially behind us, it may be time for your teenager to begin to learn how to drive. And to do so, he or she will likely need one of the best used car values around in order to stay budget-friendly.
Generally speaking, today’s used cars are much more reliable and safe than even the safest used cars manufactured a few years ago. Today, five-year-old vehicles have one-third fewer problems on average than five-year-old vehicles in 2007.
But how safe will your teenage driver be in a used car? How can you be absolutely certain his or her first car won’t break down on the side of the road? The answer is that you can’t — but you can get some much-needed peace of mind by buying a used car with the right safety features equipped.
Want to make sure you’re looking at the safest used cars for your teenager’s first car? Don’t even consider buying any used vehicle that doesn’t have these three safety features:
Electronic stability control
Statistically, electronic stability control is actually the most effective safety innovation in cars since the safety belt itself. As a result, any car you purchase for your teen driver should absolutely be equipped with this feature. Electronic stability control helps keep the car on the road in emergency scenarios, preventing the car from rolling over or spinning into a tree or light pole.
Air bags
Additionally, the safest used cars will come equipped with side and curtain air bags. Both sets of air bags help keep the driver safely within the vehicle in the event of an accident. These buffers can often make the difference between life and death.
An appropriate size
This isn’t necessarily a safety feature, but if you’re purchasing your teen’s first-ever car, it’s important to make sure the car is the right size. Most SUVs and large trucks are too much for an inexperienced driver to handle; mid-sized sedans are often the right size and weight, in contrast.
Do you agree with this list? What do you think are the most important features for the safest used cars? Have any other common auto service questions? Get the conversation going — leave a comment below.
