10 Apps To Help Your Teen Save On Auto Insurance—And Drive Safer

Insurance companies look at teen drivers as a huge risk. It’s not just because of their age either. Based on national stats, insurance companies know that:

• 50% of all teensget in a car accident before they graduate high school.
• Teens between 16 and 19-years old have the highest accident rate in the country. 
• Teens 16-19 are three times more likely to be in a fatal crash than those 20 and older.

Of course, this is partly related to age. Teens are more impulsive. Science shows they don’t always think the way more mature adults do about driving, distractions, etc. They also lack the driving experience a more seasoned driver would have. All this creates more risk. Some insurance companies offer discounts specifically made for teens. Telematics programs, in particular, can help your teen develop safe driving habits and secure long-term insurance discounts. (For more information, read our “Save Big On Auto Insurance With Teen Driver Discounts“).

With advancing technology, there are a lot of apps and programs out there that can help your teen driver drive more responsibly and save money on their auto insurance policy. Our top 10 are:

1. Drivesafe.lyTM
   Eliminate the dangers of texting and talking while driving with this app. When you turn on the app, it will read texts that come in so your teen never looks at their phone. Then, they can send verbal responses—all in real time. It’s a sure way to keep their eyes on the road instead of on their phones. You can tell your teen not to text during driving time. Whether they listen to you is another story. Drivingsafe.lyTM makes it easier.
   
2. Canary
   Monitor your teen’s driving with this app. You’ll get regular alerts, reports, and can check in to make sure they aren’t texting and driving, talking on the phone, or speeding. You can even set a perimeter so you’ll know if they travel outside of a designated area or at a time that’s later than their curfew. Having this watchful eye will remind your teen to drive safely and by your rules at all times. 
3. Steer Clear®
   State Farm created this app to keep drivers 16-14 safer. With the app, your teen will drive under virtual supervision so they don’t speed or drive dangerously. They can even get a 15% discount on auto insurance premiums if they prove to be a safe driver.  There are also quizzes your teen can take to add to their road knowledge. 

4. Drive Alive Lite
   

   When your teen drives without using his or her phone, they will earn points that can add up to cash. This app is a real motivator to ignore your phone while driving in order to make some money. Plus, what they earn can be put toward their car insurance bill. So you save too based on your teen’s safe driving practices.

5. Aviva Drive App
   

   Aviva Drive App can give you up to 20% on your auto insurance policy. Connecting with your phone’s GPS, this app monitors your teen’s driving over 200 miles and gives out badges and high scores for impressive and safe driving. Based on how well they do, they can save on insurance. 

6. RoadReady
   

   RoadReady is a tool parents can use while teaching their teens to drive. While you’re in the passenger’s seat, use the app to enter data about driving conditions, drive time, mileage, and how your teen is doing. The app will store this and provide you with helpful tips to pass onto your teen—enhancing the experience and making sure you cover all of the practice scenarios your teen needs to drive safely on the road.  

7. Snapshot
   

   This app and device from Progressive plugs into your car and connects to your smartphone in order to monitor driving habits. It tracks rapid acceleration and hard braking among other things. It will beep to alert them that they’re making a mistake. This is live guidance for your teen to improve their driving skills. If your teen has a good driving record, you could save on your Progressive auto insurance premium. Typically, Snapshot monitors you for 90 days, and the whole family can use it for discounts.

8. teenSMART
   

   This program is available for a discount through State Farm and is also compatible with Allstate insurance in some states. The benefits of the program are that it teaches your teen how to drive and rules of the road through a comprehensive course. If they pass and score well, you could receive discounts on your State Farm and Allstate auto insurance policies. 

9. Young Drivers Intelligence™
   

   USAA offers this device in order to keep track of your teen’s driving habits. By connecting with your GPS, you’ll be able to keep an eye on your teen’s speed and location while they’re off driving by themselves. Not only will this save you money on your auto insurance premium if you have a safe teen driver, but it will help lessen your worries about how they’re driving when you’re not in the car. This driving programs is meant to help teens get off on the right foot.

10. DriveSafe
    

    This Esurance app records your teen’s driving history, allows you to block them from talking and texting on the phone, and provides parents with a report. You can customize the list of who is allowed to get through to your teen’s phone though in case of emergency. 

Try some of these awesome apps today to cut down on car insurance rates and keep your safe teen driving on the road once they start driving without you.