What you need to have to know just before buying a automobile for your kid

Are you searching to get a auto for your son or daughter?

As a parent, maintaining costs low and making sure the car is safe are the 2 crucial issues. But there doesn’t have to be a trade-off amongst the 2.

I asked Crispin Moger (pictured), CEO at Marmalade, provider of cars and insurance coverage for young drivers, what he thinks parents must look for when acquiring their kid’s very first car…

“When they’re beginning out, young drivers and their parents frequently start looking for a used vehicle, rather than a new model, because they believe that’s the only cost-effective selection.

“But this is not constantly the case. The older the automobile, the larger the expenses of upkeep, tax and insurance. What’s much more, some young driver insurance coverage policies won’t actually cover older cars, which makes life hard if they’ve already bought the vehicle.”

Security concerns

Crispin continues: “Aside from these added charges, there is also the critical issue of security. The simple truth is that newer vehicles have a tendency to be much more robust, much better made and equipped with more and greater safety features.

“Research shows that young drivers are most at danger of becoming in an accident when they are inexperienced and haven’t accrued the road hours that aid them to judge and react in a protected manner.

“That’s why a new automobile need to be the preferred choice. An adult may well have the encounter and capability to drive an older car without having undue concern, but that almost certainly will not be the case for his or her youngster.”

What to look for in a new auto

Crispin provided a handful of pointers on how to preserve a lid on costs when buying a vehicle that nonetheless ticks the boxes safety-sensible:

• Engine size The more potent the engine, the more threat of the young driver speeding and driving dangerously. That’s why we recommend a relatively modest maximum size of 1.4 for young drivers, and we will not insure anything bigger


• Optional extras You may locate a very good deal for car that has alloys, tinted windows and all the trimmings, but beware as these are all features that drive up the price of insurance for young drivers


• Age of the automobile Not only are older automobiles significantly less robust in crashes, but the newer the car, the a lot more safety characteristics it is probably to have. Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) have been a regular feature of all new automobiles given that 2004 and help the driver to preserve handle of the vehicle in an emergency. Extra characteristics such as electric windows and steering wheel audio control adapters help to lessen distractions for drivers and enable them to stay focused on the road. The most recent models also advantage from automatic emergency braking


• MoT It is also worth remembering that, if a car is new, it will not need an MoT for 3 years.


• Telematics Appear for a vehicle that will function with a telematics-based insurance policy as this may nicely support to maintain you child secure on the roads.

How can telematics aid?

One of the major improvements to the security of young drivers in current years has been telematics.

Installing a black box in your child’s auto to monitor driving functionality and qualities has several benefits, not least that it makes them feel about their driving when behind the wheel.

Some policies also operate ‘curfews’, which hold young drivers off the road at times when there is a greater frequency of accidents.

And the important point is that very good, sensible and secure driving is ultimately rewarded with reduced premiums, while bad, reckless and harmful driving is deterred by the threat of greater premiums.

Data protection

Crispin added: “As properly as encouraging your youngster to drive safely, telematics can also assist if there is an accident.

“If it wasn’t your child’s fault, the information in the black box may possibly assist to prove their case. And if the vehicle is stolen, you will be able to hold track of the car so that it can be recovered.”

What you need to have to know just before buying a automobile for your kid