Safety

Before you have children of your own, you kind of imagine that the day you get your driver’s licence is a purely celebratory one. A rite of passage that leads to expanded horizons and a freedom of movement previously unimaginable. And yet, from the parents’ point of view, this is actually a mildly terrifying time. All the statistics tell us that the most endangered and likely to crash drivers on our roads are P-platers (and young men in particular) and the shift from them driving around next to you with L-plates and their best behaviour on to being out there alone is a harrowing one.We all know that teenagers being allowed to drive cars is a recipe for disaster, but that whole rite-of-passage thing means we can’t really justify raising the L-plate age to something sensible, like 25.Teenagers have tricky little attention spans, and in boys, the part of their brains that assesses risk is still not fully functional. Instead, they seek out dumb and dangerous activities, and thus putting a tonne and a half of metal capable of moving through space at high speeds in their hands is, at the very least, foolhardy.There’s also the simple fact that it takes time to become a good driver; experience in different situations and conditions, road craft, wisdom. And this is why choosing one of the safest cars for P platers is such a vital moment for parents, in consultation with their excited teen, of course. So what is the best first car for a teenager in Australia, and are they as affordable as a first car should be? Fortunately, the answer is yes.

You don't have to spend a fortune on a vehicle that will protect the young driver in your family.

There’s long been a bit of a stench around diesel, but with the Volkswagen scandal and big cities in Europe now considering banning them, it seems to be a fuel source that’s more on the nose than ever

Porsche Australia has recalled the Cayenne large SUV for the second time in a week, with a leak risk once again behind the move

Porsche Australia has recalled 244 examples of the Cayenne large SUV that pose a fire risk

Ford Australia has recalled 20,968 examples of the Ranger mid-size ute and Everest large SUV over a potential issue with their transmissions

Volkswagen Australia has recalled 2627 examples of the Tiguan mid-size SUV over a manufacturing defect with their roof spoilers

Ram Australia has recalled 2540 examples of the 1500 dual-cab pick-up over a manufacturing defect that could cause a visibility problem

Back before the wondrous invention of speed cameras - or “road-safety cameras”, sorry - a speeding fine would generally be in your hands within minutes of a police officer pulling you over for the offence, but today they are often sent out by mail, which is, to put it mildly, an inexact science.

You might have heard that some points expire after just 12 months, but that’s not the case, once you’ve got them, you’re stuck with them for a full three years.