A teen’s first car is a rite of passage that can cause a ton of hassle at home. Parents want their kids to drive in something similar to an armored tank, while the kids want to make a fashion statement. It is possible to find something in between that will keep the teens safe without doing too much harm to their reputation. A little research into safety ratings and reliability will help you find the right car for your teen.

Choose a Sedan, Skip the Compact

With the price of gas on the rise again, it may be tempting to find an inexpensive hatchback or compact car for your teen. Unfortunately, these are some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road today. Compact cars and hatchbacks put very little metal between the passenger and the outside world. Research shows that serious injury and even fatality rates are extremely high for small economy cars that are involved in collisions. It is worth it to pay a little extra for gasoline for a two-door or four-door sedan in order to ensure a little extra safety for your teen in the event of an accident.

Read more tips including avoiding most pickups and SUV’s and find out if late-model used cars are a better deal.  Click on original article below.