Looking for a safe and reliable vehicle might be challenging for a parent purchasing a used car for their teen. If you’re a parent in this position fret no more; the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has some advice to help make this selection easier. In a status report conducted a year ago, the IIHS compiled a list of recommended used vehicles after research showed that a majority of parents bought used vehicles for their teen drivers, instead of new ones.  Using the same criteria this year, the IIHS has significantly added to the list of potential candidates. 

According to IIHS, the list was compiled after researching vehicles, and was categorized into two tiers: "Best Choices," which are vehicles priced under $20,000 with good ratings in the Institute's four oldest crash worthiness tests, and "Good Choices," vehicles priced under $10,000 with less-than-perfect ratings in some tests. Having two tiers gives consumers a wider variety of lower-priced options.

Some of the other things the IIHS recommends parents to consider is avoiding vehicles with high horsepower, to avoid their teens testing the limits of the engine, and searching for a bigger and heavier vehicle, as they tend to be safer than lighter ones. Another recommendation is to find one with an electric stability system, which helps a driver maintain control on curves and slippery roads.

Click here for the full report and vehicle list.