Dad, may I have the keys? Factors influencing which vehicles teenagers drive.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the role of vehicle safety features, particularly vehicle size and weight, compared with other factors in parental decisions about choosing vehicles for teens to drive.

METHODS

Written questionnaire to parents of teenagers attending drivers education training.

RESULTS

The response rate to the survey was 62.6%. Two thirds reported that the teen would drive an existing family vehicle, 10.5% would buy an additional vehicle, and 20.3% would buy another vehicle as well as have the teen drive an existing family vehicle. Large size was important to only approximately 40% of families purchasing a car for the teen or families in which the teen would use an existing family vehicle. Gas mileage and other safety features were ranked as more important even in families in which a large car was available in the household.

CONCLUSIONS

Families did not rank vehicle size and weight as important as other, less effective safety features in choosing cars for their teens. Information about vehicle crash-worthiness should be incorporated into drivers education and other programs reaching new teen drivers and their families.