How to pick the right car for a young driver

Getting a brand new car on their 16th birthday is every teen's dream, but many parents may have mixed feelings. For most folks, getting that first car for a new driver is not as easy as simply heading to the car dealer and picking the best-looking one.

There are plenty of factors to consider when buying a car for a young driver, including cost, safety and reliability. You'll likely want a car that will keep your kid safe and won't cause you to take out a second mortgage. The following are some tips to keep in mind when choosing that first automobile:

* Safety: You've taught your child all the safe driving practices, but that doesn't eliminate all the stress that goes along with your child leaving the driveway for the first time. It may ease your mind to find a vehicle with a high safety rating. Resources like safercar.gov will help you research what types of vehicles are the safest.

* Affordability: Becoming a good driver and learning good car care techniques takes time, so it might not be the best idea to spend thousands of dollars on a new car that might not be treated that well. Check with friends and family members to see if they have an older car that they might be willing to sell. If you buy used, get it inspected by a mechanic and order a vehicle history report before making the decision to buy.

* Insurance: Because new drivers are statistically more likely to get into accidents, buying auto insurance for them is more expensive. Your average sedan is going to be considerably less expensive to insure than a sports car - it probably comes as no shock that the latter are involved in more high-speed accidents. If you have a family fleet, it will be advantageous to list your new driver as the main driver of the vehicle that costs the least to insure. Major providers like Allstate will provide you with free car insurance quotes online so you can get a picture of what you might pay.

* Utility: How will your child be using his or her new vehicle? Since it's not likely that you'll want him carting around a bunch of friends, it might be wise to go with a smaller car, as opposed to, say, an SUV. Your child will also probably appreciate having a car that gets decent gas mileage once she fills up a few times and sees what the real cost of driving is.

Courtesy of ARAcontent