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The safest cars for
teens -- Page 2
By Dana
Dratch • Bankrate.com
What about the idea of avoiding problems with a little acceleration?
"Teenagers don't do well in those emergency situations anyway,"
she says. "The concern for us is that they will drive faster
in those cars."
What you want instead is "something basically
larger and boring," says Ferguson. "Teens may not like
it, but it's better for them."
With teens, distractions are a big danger. So limit
features like thumping stereos and DVD players that might take their
minds away from the wheel.
Another thing to avoid: problem vehicles. Make
sure you're not buying a car that's been recalled. And even if the
manufacturer hasn't issued a formal recall, are other owners or
consumer groups seeing a pattern of problems? Some sites to check
out your teen's car: The
Center for Auto Safety, the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration and AllData
(a service by AutoZone).
Prepare your driver
Even a safe car is only as safe as the person at the wheel.
So whatever you buy, invest some time (and yes, maybe even money)
in teaching the rules of the road. The biggest danger to teens:
their overconfidence in their own abilities, combined with a lack
of experience. Train them before you turn them loose. Check up
on them frequently. Make buckling up a habit and ban cell phones
while they're driving.
One of the biggest dangers: a group of teens in
one car. Not only does the situation create more distractions,
it also increases the likelihood that some won't be wearing seatbelts.
And the more people you pile into an SUV, the more you increase
the risk of rollover, says Ferguson. "Extra passengers in
an SUV make it more unstable."
Cars that make the grade
The 2005, 2004 and 2003 four-door Volvo S80 with side airbags
are full-sized cars that have anti-lock brakes and airbags that
protect the head and chest. They can also be purchased with optional
electronic stability control. They earned five out of five stars
in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's front-
and side-impact crash tests, and the top score for minimizing
risk of rollover. They also got the highest overall marks by the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for front- and rear-impact
crashes.
Unfortunately, with other models, you have vehicles
that do well in front and side crashes, but not as well in rear-impact
accidents. In some cars, buyers will also have to pay extra to
get airbags that protect the head and chest from the front and
side. In addition, heavier cars tend to do better in multiple
car accidents. But most crash tests specify that autos should
not be measured against vehicles more than a couple of hundred
pounds larger -- something to take into account when shopping
around. However, for practicality, several midsize cars are included.
Also, unless specified, all cars are full-size (or heavy) and
two-wheel drive.
These three cars earned five stars for the government's
front- and side-impact crashes but present a slightly (1 to 2
percent) higher risk of rollover than a five-star rating would
allow. Their success on front and side impacts are corroborated
by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests. But on that
group's rear crashes, these cars earned marginal or poor ratings:
-
(Midsize)
2005 four-door Mitsubishi Galant with side airbags. Combination
airbags are standard, anti-lock brakes are optional and no electronic
stability control is available. Rear impact rating (Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety): poor.
-
(Midsize)
2004 two-door Toyota Camry Solara Coupe with side airbags. Anti-lock
brakes are standard and electronic stability control is optional.
Crash test results include curtain airbags, which are optional.
Strangely enough, cloth seats did better in rear crashes (third
worst out of four) than those with leather seats (fourth out
of four), according to tests by the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety.
-
(Midsize)
2004 two-door Honda Accord with side airbags. Anti-lock
brakes are standard and electronic stability control is not
available. While some airbags come standard, curtain and additional
torso airbags are optional. Rear-impact rating: poor.
The following car earned top ratings in front-,
side- and rear-crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety but was not tested by the government or rated for rollover
risk:
-
(Midsize)
2005 Saab 9-3 with side airbags. It comes standard with
side curtain and front airbags, anti-lock brakes and electronic
stability control. Automatic transmission, recommended for teens,
is optional. Crash test results did not include the convertible
version. All three versions are turbo, but for teen driving
opt for the 175 horsepower Linear, rather than the 210 horsepower
Arc or Aero models.
These two cars earned five stars in government front-
and side-crash tests but present a 1 percent higher risk of rollover
than a five-star rating would allow. There is no corroborating
data on front- and side-crashes from the Insurance Institute,
and no information on rear-impact crashes:
-
2005 four-door
Mercury Montego. Anti-lock brakes are standard, as are
some airbags. Side curtain and torso airbags are optional and
electronic stability control is not available.
-
2005 four-door
Ford Five Hundred. Anti-lock brakes are standard along
with some airbags. Side curtain and torso airbags are optional,
and electronic stability control is not available.
Dana Dratch
is a freelance writer based in Atlanta.
-- Posted: Feb. 15, 2005
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