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Article ‘Don’t Buy Your Kids A Car': Crash Warning For Parents

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Young drivers who borrow the family car are less likely to crash than those driving their own car, new research has found.

The Australian research revealed that young drivers have a 30 per cent greater risk of crashing in their first year if they’re driving their own car, compared to those who borrow the family car.

Interestingly, even seven years after getting their licences, these drivers still had a 10 per cent greater risk of crashing, than those young drivers who are still driving the family car, the study of NSW drivers found.

And those young drivers who had their own car were 2.7 times more likely to be involved in a crash resulting in hospitalisation or death in the first year after getting their licence.

A wake up call for parents

According to the study’s co-author Professor Rebecca Ivers, this sobering research should be a wake up all for parents.

“Don’t buy your kids a car and give them unlimited access to it,” she said.

“The first 12 months after licensing is the most dangerous time for young drivers, and having unlimited access to a car in this period can increase their risk of crash.”

Young drivers who borrow the family car however, are often given a set of rules, which may include restricted access, no-long distance driving, no driving at night and not having more than one passenger in the car.

“In high-income countries like Australia, there’s a culture that says you get your own car, you’re out on the road and you’re free and independent,” said Prof. Ivers.

“Unfortunately at this age, with limited experience on the road, it’s a very dangerous time for young drivers. And then there seems to be something about owning their own car and having greater access that might mean they drive differently than if they were driving the family car.”

Another reason behind the findings could be that cars given to young drivers aren’t as safe as the family car.

“What often happens is that people buy a cheap car for their kid, and so the kid’s driving around in a clapped-out older car with fewer safety features. So the advice here is, let your kids drive your car, let them negotiate the use of it, and make sure they’re driving the safest car that they possibly can.”

The researchers say they’re not suggesting parents block their kids’ access to their own vehicles.

“This is more a caution against thinking a car is a perfect gift when public transport or other safer alternatives are readily available,” Study co-author Professor Teresa Senserrick from the University of Western Australia said.

The study looked at the crash data of more than 20,000 drivers in NSW who consented to having their driving records made available via police and hospitals. The drivers were aged 17 to 24 and on their red P-plates in 2002 and 2003, and were followed up by researchers at two years and 13 years after getting their licences.

Did you get your kids their own car when they started driving, or are you planning on it? Let us know if this study is likely to change your mind in the comments below. 

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Comments

  • If I was in a position where I could, I’d give my kids my old car and buy myself a new car when they’re old enough to have a licence but I do find with my kids in particular they look after their things a lot better when they’ve paid for them themselves.

    Reply

  • Hopefully if they have invested in buying their own, then they will look after it.

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  • My eldest was given permission to drive the family car but he wasn’t allowed to drive long distances to start with. After a year he was given the car which was only 4 years old and we’d bought it brand new. He never had an accident in it or his new one. After a couple of years he traded it in for a new model.

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  • My son has saved & purchased his own car. He has also been working on repairs to the car. I’m very hopeful this will give him greater respect for it, & in turn – drive safer because he is aware of the cost & work necessary to have a vehicle. Fingers crossed!

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  • Both my oldest 2 paid for their own car. It taught them to save and be reasonable for such an expensive thing. We will do the same when the time comes for our 10 year old

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  • We helped our daughter buy a car, but we made sure it was built after 2012 when most of the newer safety features came in as standard.

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  • I think if your child has saved up and bought their own car rather than have one bought for them by their parents would also influence the outcome of this survey. My kids never crashed their cars, but they did have to save up and buy the best cars for themselves.

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  • I was lucky enough to have parents who purchased me second hand cars. I’m talking $2000 cars. Did I hit things? Yes. Did I crash? Yes.

    Now I have my own children, one coming up to having their learners soon. Will I be buying their cars? No. Will I contribute to their savings for one? Yes.
    I do not feel comfortable in lending our family car to a teenager that is learning the roads.

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  • My daughter is due to get her license in Dec, I’ve told her she can borrow my car when ever she needs as long as she gets me to work and back. I’m happy to save some money to help her out in buying a car and she’s putting money away to buy a car. We talk about all the additional costs involved in buying a car so not to rush into it.

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  • My parents made me save up and buy a second hand car at first. My Dad was a motor mechanic and had his own repair business. Taught me the appreciation of my car – looking after it, making sure it was serviced regularly and the value of my car. After three years of appreciation – he gave me half the money for a new car.
    I learnt such valuable lessons in those three years. Would this have any impact on the research.

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  • Interesting research. In my day we had to save and buy our own car, I wonder if that affects the research outcomes at all if they’ve had to save and buy it themselves.

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  • This makes sense, you’d also hope that as the car doesn’t belong to them they’d have more respect and be more careful.

    • Kids are a bit young but I would prefer to buy them their own car so that it is the safest it can be.
      I would like to think that parents would teach their kids to drive sensibly either way!

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  • its still a while away for me to make this decision but they do make good points

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  • This very much depends on the child and their attitude towards driving. I had my own car and have never had an accident in over 40 years.

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  • This problem is a while away for me, but interesting advice.

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  • Gosh id hate to think they could crash my main car and then have to worry about replacing a more expensive car vs a cheap first car.

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  • That‘s Interesting. My twins are only four. Not sure yet what to do. But my parents bought me a car when I got my license. Never had an accident.

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  • I’ve heard the warning about buying older cars before.

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  • Interesting article. I dont agree with buying a car for them. They need to save up.

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  • Interesting study.
    No, we don’t buy our kids a car, they have to safe up for that themselves.

    • I agree; saving for a first car is such an important step into adulthood.

    Reply
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