Top safety picks for teen drivers

Finding safe vehicles for teens CTV News Toronto's Pat Foran has a look at how to find the safest used vehicle for young drivers.

Graduation time for teenagers could mean getting their own car.

A nation-wide phone survey conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicated that 83 per cent of parents who bought a vehicle for their teen said they bought it used.

New vehicles on the market are growing with new safety features, but a “hand me down” car might not have those same capabilities.

“Teen drivers are the riskiest drivers on the road and unfortunately, our research shows they are often driving some of the less safe vehicles in the market,” Insurance Institute for Highway Safety spokesperson David Zuby said.

With this data in mind, the institute published a list for 2017 that includes a list of affordable used vehicles that they say “meet important safety criteria.”

The vehicles included on this list range in price point.

“There are two tiers of recommended vehicles, best choices and good choices,” the institute said on their website. “Prices range from about $2,000 to nearly $20,000, so parents can buy the most safety for their money, whatever their budget.”

The institute said they made the list based on various safety features that affect the whole vehicle.

‘Best choices’ for teens under $20,000:

‘Good choices’ for teens under $10,000:

The institute also said prior to purchasing a vehicle for your teen driver, going over some important safety tips can help you make a better decision.

Top safety tips for young drivers:

As well, prior to purchasing a used vehicle for a young driver experts advise searching through outstanding recalls using the vehicle identification number. New information is posted by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding vehicle recalls approximately every six months.

The full list of recommended used vehicle for teens can be found here.