Teenagers are notorious for sending car insurance premiums through the roof. Obviously, teens can’t help belonging to a statistically high-risk group — but there are a few steps that teens and families can take to get lower rates.

1. Take defensive driving courses. Defensive driving courses aren’t just for hazardous drivers. Many car insurance companies give discounts to customers who complete safety courses. State-certified courses can be taken at local schools and DMV offices as well as online. Check with your car insurance provider for help choosing an eligible program.
2. Aim for an A. Actually, a B will do. Discounts of about 10% are generally extended to students earning 3.0 and higher GPAs. Some parents pass the savings along to their kids as a reward or an incentive to keep earning high marks.
3. Update your status. Millions of students are infrequent drivers, and especially when they’re living on a college campus. Considering updating a residential student’s status to “occasional driver” in order to get a lower insurance rate. Of course, you’ll want to increase coverage again during summer vacation.
4. Consider a pay-as-you-go plan. Pay-as-you-go car insurance may be ideal for the teenage driver who drives relatively few miles per year. This type of plan is designed in accordance with the teen’s actual driving schedule, so there’s less chance of paying for more insurance than you really need.
5. Share a policy. In most cases, you’ll save money by purchasing the entire family’s auto insurance from the same provider.

Once you’ve obtained the best rate possible, keep it low by maintaining a safe driving record. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety maintains a helpful list of tips to help teen drivers avoid accidents.

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