Is passing down an older car an accident waiting to happen?

When it is time to add a new driver to the household, there is often uncertainty when resolving the issue of who will drive which vehicle.

Sometimes parents will intentionally purchase an older car for their teen. They might even take it as an opportunity to buy an upgraded vehicle and pass down their old one. Any car can carry risks, but older cars usually lack the latest features to keep new drivers safe.

These are some of the risks that could come with providing your teenager with an older vehicle.

With cars, change is good

As times change, so do the ways manufacturers design and build vehicles. The more manufacturers learn about crash safety, the more they can develop a safer car.

Vehicle models tend to advance very quickly. By the time your car is more than three years old, it may be considered up to 18 percent deadlier than its newer counterparts.

More features, fewer problems

Each updated model generally comes with newer safety features. Just as important as these safety features are the systems put in place by manufacturers to identify the maintenance needs of the vehicle.

Reacting to features that alert your teen driver that the tires are low, or that the engine needs maintenance, helps prevent accidents that could otherwise be deadly. While you may recognize the signs that a vehicle requires maintenance, new drivers often do not know there is an issue until the maintenance problem becomes severe and potentially unsafe.