Tag Archives: traffic violation

The Best Car Model and Car Insurance for a Teenager

Posted by author on January 21, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

I am planning to get my 16-year-old son his own car. Can you give me a list of the best cars that would fit a teenager? Also, where can I get car insurance for teenagers like him?

John

Portland, ME

The best cars for teenagers are really those which are cheap yet efficient. Teenagers, especially the guys, are known to be risky when they are behind the wheels. They like the feeling of excitement as they take risks while on the road, making them the group that has the highest case of road accidents and moving violations in all of America. Statistics show that even if you remove the population of unregistered teenage drivers, this age group would still be on top of the list of those who register the highest number of both fatal and non-fatal accidents. This is the reason why they are considered by almost all car insurance companies as high risk drivers.

If you think that your son has a big chance of being a risk-taker while on the road, it would be best if you give him a car that is not that expensive and would be easy to repair and maintain. You can buy him a Saturn ION 1 Sedan, GMC SLE AWD, Jeep Liberty Sport, Volvo S40. In general, domestic cars are recommended for young drivers because they can be less expensive when insured. You could also try buying an older car for your son, but make sure that it is still in good shape to avoid further accidents.

Once you have decided on the car that you want to purchase, you may then get your car insurance quotes from the internet. Check out the websites of car insurance companies for free quotes and information.

Car Insurance and Out-of-State Violations

Posted by author on January 17, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

I received a speeding ticket in Illinois and have a Florida license. I am worried this may affect my car insurance premium rates. Can I take traffic school to write off the points of the ticket?

Chuck

Tallahassee, FL

Just so you know, Florida is part of the Drivers License Compact (DLC). Participating member states of the DLC are required to report moving violation convictions to the driver’s licensing state. As such, you can bet your bottom dollar that the speeding violation you incurred in Illinois had already been reported to your licensing state of Florida. An out-of-state traffic ticket’s information is received by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Services (HSMV) and is marked on your Florida record, with the corresponding points like it was a Florida traffic violation.

However, your car insurance company will not be notified directly by the HSMV or the traffic court concerned of your traffic offense. But don’t celebrate just yet. As mentioned above, your out-of-state violation will be marked and given the points as a Florida offense. Therefore, they will be able to pull up your Florida driving record with the violation when your insurer gathers your motor vehicle record (MVR). You will have to consult with your car insurance company how your out-of-state speeding ticket can affect your rates since insurance providers have different rating systems.

The Florida HSMV also states that any traffic school or program cannot write off points for an out-of-state ticket under Florida traffic laws.