SALT LAKE CITY — Being the father of not one but two teenage drivers, KSL’s Dan Spindle understands how scary it can be — and not just when they’re behind the wheel. It’s that car insurance bill that’s scary, too.

A new study by Quote Wizard put Utah right in the middle when it comes to the cost of teen policies — in fact, the Beehive State is about 3& lower than the national average.

But it’s still a monthly increase of more than $180 to cover a teenage driver.

The reasons begin with inexperience — 75% of teen crashes are due to “critical errors.”

Teen drivers are three times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash, and they get ticketed a whole lot more than adults.

And more than half of teen crashes are due to distractions.

Age 25 is the magic number for those reduced rates. In the meantime, Utahns can save money through certain defensive driving courses, good grades and safety features on your vehicle.

Check with your insurance company to see what additional promotions and incentives they offer.

Best cars for teenage drivers

We all remember that first car when we turned 16 – Dan Spindle’s was a little Mazda Protege with severe hail damage that he shared with my brother.

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety put together a list of the best cars for teenage drivers under $10,000 to fit into that limited teen budget.

Ford has the most on the list with the Flex that’s from model year 2011 or newer, followed by the Ford Fusion from 2013 up to now and the Ford Taurus.

Honda has a pair on the list, both are the Accord coupe model year 2013 or newer, followed by the Honda Accord sedan.

No. 5 is the Mazda 6 from 2014 on, followed by the Subaru Legacy from 2013.

Volkswagen has a pair on the list, with the 2015 or newer Jetta and the Passat from 2013 on — and this is the least expensive of the top 10 at just $6,600.

Finally, models of the Volvo S60 after 2011.

Safety is the name of the game on this list, but it’s not just the features – Quote Wizard looked for heavier cars, cars with less horsepower and cars with ESC, or electronic stability control, while compiling this list.