Overview

• A study published in JAMA Network Open found that teens driving cars aged 6–15 years face a 19% higher risk of death in fatal crashes, while cars older than 15 years increase the risk by 31% compared to vehicles five years old or newer.
• Each additional driver assistance technology, such as automatic emergency braking or lane-keeping assistance, reduces the risk of driver death in fatal crashes by approximately 6%.
• Teen drivers are more likely than middle-aged drivers to use older vehicles that lack modern safety features, increasing their vulnerability in crashes.
• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports released a list of 144 affordable, safe vehicles, including 74 models under $10,000 and 22 new 2025 models with advanced safety features.
• Experts recommend parents prioritize newer cars equipped with crash-avoidance technologies and avoid handing down older, less-equipped vehicles to teen drivers.