If you have a new teen driver in your household, congratulations! Your days of playing chauffeur may be numbered and you'll be undoubtedly appreciative of the convenience and help with errands that your teen driver can provide. Your teenager must be covered with auto insurance, of course, and unfortunately, the premium for people in this age group can be quite expensive. There's hope, though. Read below to learn some tips for paying less to have your teen driver covered and on the road safely.

Choose The Right Ride

You may not fully appreciate how much the make and model of the car that your teen drives can have on your insurance rates, but it's a factor that should not be overlooked. The insurance industry rates cars on safety and the likelihood of theft in determining your premium cost. For safety, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates vehicles for their crashworthiness. When it comes time to buy or choose a vehicle for your teen to drive, you can save money on your auto insurance by avoiding the most commonly-stolen vehicles.

You will likely find from your research that your sturdy, basic family sedan offers the best choice in vehicles when it comes to saving on insurance premiums. Be sure to consult with your auto insurance agent to get a quote before purchasing a vehicle. It should be noted that while older vehicles often offer a better bargain, they frequently lack the standard safety equipment used in newer models, like side air bags, anti-lock brakes and stability control.

Finally, you can ensure that your rates are as low as possible by matching your teen driver up to the vehicle that you already own that is the least expensive to insure. For example, designate your teen as the driver of the family sedan rather than the s.u.v. Again, your agent can guide you through this process and help you get the most from your insurance dollar.

Keep Track of Your Teen Driver

Several major insurance carriers now provide valuable discounts for using a plug-in device that tracks driving habits, such as braking, speed, cornering, acceleration, etc. You can even set up an alert system that keeps you informed about a certain types of poor driving behavior, like sudden braking, sudden accelerations and consistently exceeding the speed limit.

Back to School

Don't overlook online or classroom safety classes that target teen drivers specifically, and offer you insurance discounts upon completion. Most of these classes focus on teens accumulating a certain number of hours with an adult licensed driver and require a final quiz.

By putting the above tips into action you can rest easier knowing that your teen driver is off to a safe, and budget-friendly start.