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Most parents imagine that letting their teen drive the family car is going to cost them big bucks for car insurance. However smart parents know how to get the cheapest auto insurance, including the newest drivers in the family.

Insurance companies as well as parents know that, on the average, teenage drivers present greater risks than the average mature driver. You can’t argue with statistics. Teens have been shown to take greater risks, have more accidents, and suffer more critical injuries and fatalities.

So how can parents get cheap car insurance, or at least the best rate possible, so that their young driver can do some of the schlepping back and forth to practices, the mall, friends’ houses, and so on, without shelling out funds better used for college? Two major strategies come into play here: First, reducing the perceived risk of your teen’s driving, and second, getting cheap auto insurance on line.

Let’s look at the first strategy, keeping in mind that insurance companies base their premiums on average data. How do you convince an insurance company that your particular progeny is not a big a risk as the average teen? However many are willing to take into account factors beyond just age in calculating risk. Here are four things that your teen can do to help get that cheaper rate:

If your son or daughter will be driving the family four-door sedan or minivan rather than a sporty car, this is a good sign that they will not be tempted to show off. If they will have their own car, it should still be a four-door family type vehicle. If it is an older car with low resale value, you can even consider dropping the collision insurance and just pay for the necessary liability insurance.

Even if this is not a requirement in your locale, successful completion of a good course in how to drive may lower rates. Furthermore, it is likely to lead to safer driving in both normal and special driving conditions.

In other words, avoid doing anything that might draw unfavorable attention on the part of the insurer. Insurance companies will make note of all those little claims for nicks and fender benders-so drive carefully and if necessary, pay for small repairs out of pocket. Also, moving vehicle violations will also boost the car insurance costs. Maintain a perfect record and you may be rewarded with a reduced premium.

Teenagers that make the honor roll or otherwise keep their grade point average high are often awarded a “good student discount.” Insurance companies have found that responsible behavior at school tends to go with responsibility behavior behind the wheel.

Finally, one of the best ways to lower your premiums is get cheap auto insurance on line. With or without a teenage driver, you can get cheap auto insurance quotes from multiple carriers and choose the policy that fits your needs and budget best. Just as priceline.com, expedia.com, and other sites have enabled travelers to get the best airfares from major carriers, online car insurance services now offer drivers the opportunity to get the best rates from top-level insurance carriers.