Picking the cheapest insurance rate is a complex and complicated task. For many teenagers, the average insurance rate of $2,000-$3,000 is much more money than they can afford.

While many high school students might find these hefty prices unfair, they should consider the scary statistics surrounding teen driving.

For instance, numerous studies have shown that automobile fatalities are the number one cause of death for teenagers.

In the past five years, 35,000 teenagers have died in car accidents. That’s 6,000 dead teens a year, 18 dead a day.

A study done by Allstate, a prominent insurance company, found that teenagers driving with friends (which is illegal) account for 65% of these deaths. In fact, for each friend that is in a car driven by a fellow teen, the chance of a fatal crash goes up by 100%.

This isn’t the end of insurance companies’ problems, as a study done by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 16 year old drivers get traffic tickets at a rate 1.8 times higher than that of the average adult driver.

This makes 16 year old drivers 3.7 times more likely to be involved in an accident, and once this teen has had an accident, he or she is 50% more likely than other 16 year old to be involved in another crash.

Other factors that affect insurance rates are: the type of car the new driver owns, the new driver’s behavior when operating a vehicle, which state that new driver lives in, and the new driver’s willingness to shop around for the best rate.

Owning a sporty muscle car costs more money to insurance than any other car, as muscle cars are dangerous to drive and cost more money to maintain. Consequently, Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai are typically some of the cheapest cars to insure.

Furthermore, the equipment the car has will also affect the cost of insurance. For example, insurance companies tend to offer discounts to cars equipped with anti-theft devices.

They offer this discount because these devices reassure insurance companies that the car will not be stolen, and therefore the company will not have to pay to replace the stolen vehicle.

Responsibility and maturity are two key aspects that affect insurance rates, as new drivers do not yet have an established driving record.

As a result, any traffic violations (like a DUI or a traffic light infraction) will dramatically increase insurance rates.

California has a zero tolerance for underage alcohol use, so if a teen is found behind the wheel with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.01% or higher, then they will lose their license for a year.

On the other hand, students with a high Grade Point Average (GPA) are advised to show their GPA to their insurance companies, as most insurance companies offer special discounts to individuals who excel academically.

Junior Chloe Scott stated, “My yearly insurance on my Dodge pickup truck is $300, due in part to the special discount I get for being an honor roll student.”

Where a new driver lives can dictate how much that teenager will have to pay for insurance rates. Living in states prone to natural disasters, like California, will cost more to insure a vehicle than living in a state that isn’t prone to natural disasters.

However, if a new driver is willing to shop around, he or she can save an average of $1200 on car insurance. Websites like www.insurance.com are great sites to go to in order to save a lot of money.

All in all, if one wants to get a good insurance rate, they must follow the rules, shop around to find the best rate, and be a responsible young adult when operating an automobile.