If you are a young driver living in Ohio and are preparing yourself to take to road for the first time, you’re probably already aware of the abnormally high auto insurance rates that are applied to road users under 24 years of age. It may seem inconceivable that you’re being unfairly punished before you’ve even turned on the ignition inside your first car, but a closer look at accident statistics relating to young drivers in the United States make for some pretty sobering reading.
In 2008, 31.3% of all fatal road accidents in America involved motorists under the age of 25. This figure was 12.4% higher than in any other age group during the same period, and serves to highlight why auto insurance companies view young drivers as such a significant risk. There are many influencing factors that contribute to these damning statistics.
Research has shown that young drivers are more easily distracted when driving, and regularly use handheld communication devices when they should be focusing on the road. Furthermore, the driving skills of young road users are rarely refined, and a simple lapse in concentration can ultimately result in a dangerous maneuver that subsequently leads to an accident. It may even be the case that a young driver is simply distracted by the presence of friends in the car and once again, this can result in a potential accident situation.
Naturally, the above driving conditions may not be relevant to every young driver in Ohio, but the accident statistics that contribute to excessively high auto insurance rates will certainly take these factors into consideration. When auto insurance quotes are applied for, the carrier uses underwriters to draw up policy criteria. Underwriters analyze the risk associated with insuring young drivers and if accident rates are particularly high within a state, increased auto insurance rates will usually apply.
Auto insurance rates are also determined by the minimum mandatory levels required by the state of Ohio. The current minimum level of coverage is $12,500 worth of bodily injury liability per person, $25,000 worth of bodily injury liability per accident and $7,500 worth of property damage liability. It is usually recommended that all drivers purchase the highest amount of auto insurance coverage possible but in the case of young drivers, this makes premiums even more expensive and it can be worth sticking with a basic policy until a safe driving history has been built over an extended period of time.
So how do young drivers in Ohio tackle the problem of expensive auto insurance quotes? To a certain degree, the factors that underwriters use when creating a policy are out of the control of the motorist, but this doesn’t mean that new road users have to sit back and swallow the excessively high auto insurance quotes that are presented to them. Indeed, young drivers who take a proactive approach to securing cheap auto insurance can actually reduce their rates significantly, even within the first year of driving.
Most importantly, young drivers should adopt a sensible, mature attitude to vehicle use. The first thing any young driver should do is to rid themselves of the distractions that can ultimately lead to a potential accident situation. Cell phones should always be carried in case of emergency, but these should be turned off while the vehicle is in use. When carrying friends, the vehicle owner should always apply full concentration to the road ahead and ask that passengers be considerate until their destination has been reached. By keeping one’s mind on the potential dangers of driving a car at all times, individuals under the age of 25 can quickly adapt to defensive driving techniques that minimize the chances of an accident occurring.
Many young drivers fail to realize that there are other factors that lower auto insurance rates. Auto insurance companies like to see their policyholders displaying signs of responsibility, and young drivers who take a state-approved advanced driving examination will be considered to be less of a risk. As well as improving driving skills, an advanced driving course will teach the student how to handle their cars more conservatively and to subsequently minimize the dangers associated with road use.
Young road users who can maintain ‘B’ average grades or above at school can also qualify for cheap auto insurance rates. A sensible approach to studies shows increased signs of maturity and responsibility, and most carriers will reward young drivers with cheap auto insurance quotes if a strong aptitude in the classroom is maintained.
