An older one, cos hey, they're not really a good driver yet so there's no point letting them drive a newer one?

Or one that's more likely to protect them and others in a crash?

You decide.

Newer vehicles are generally safer than older ones. In fact, older vehicles are over-represented in fatal vehicle crashes, and the average age of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash is increasing. In 2020, 64% of vehicle fatalities occurred in vehicles aged 10 years or older.

As your teen enters or completes their final years of schooling many will want to get their learner licence and provisional licence. This can lead to talk about buying a second family car, or them getting their own car.

So what do we know?

• Teenagers are often given the least safest vehicles despite being the riskiest drivers on the road,
  
• Teens tend to drive older and smaller vehicles, which have higher fatality rates than their newer, larger vehicles
  
• Nearly two-thirds of teens killed behind the wheel were driving cars six to 15 years old.

Choosing a vehicle for P platers is an exciting moment but consideration of the safety ratings of the car should be the priority. If you are involved in a crash, regardless of who’s at fault, the choice of vehicle could make all the difference.

A driver of the worst vehicle rated is over eight times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in the same crash than the same driver in the safest vehicle. “

Associate Professor Stuart Newstead, Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC)

Enhance young drivers’ safety, and that of their passengers and other road users, by choosing a car with as many safety features as possible. We can't all afford a new car, but there are many used cars that are safe and affordable to choose from.

Help them choose the safest car possible within your/their budget by reviewing the new used car safety ratings guide to significantly reduce their chance of being killed or seriously injured in a crash, or help avoid a crash altogether.

If you have a teen with their learner or P plate licence consider how safe the car they're driving is, and whether it's time to find a safer one? https://howsafeisyourcar.com.au/