One of the best ways to keep the rates down and obtain cheap car insurance for teens is by having your teen enroll in a driver education course. Not only do most car insurance companies offer discounts to teens who have taken driver education courses, but a driver education course will also help better prepare your teen for the road. Driver education courses are offered in most American high schools, and can be obtained by private companies.

Most driver education courses include classroom instruction, driving practice, and maintenance tips, as well as provide experience.

Classroom Instruction. Driver education courses include classroom instruction. Although most teens are anxious to get behind the wheel, the classroom instruction is necessary to begin teaching them about street signs, traffic lights, and basic rules of the road.

Driving Practice. During driving practice, not only will teens benefit from driving with and getting feedback from an experienced driver, but they'll also get to see their classmates in action. Therefore, the students will learn from their classmates? errors and successes.

Maintenance Tips. Some driver education courses teach teens basic car maintenance and repairs. For example, your teen's driver education course may teach students how to change a flat tire. This is an emergency that can occur for drivers of any age.

Experience. Although a driver education course will not make your teen as experienced at driving as you are, it will give your teen experience that he or she did not previously have. Getting behind the wheel of a car with a driving instructor will give your teen a ?heads up? when it comes to actually taking his or her driver license examination.

When the time comes for your teen to take the driver license exam and ultimately purchase car insurance ? or be added to your car insurance policy ? you can help keep the rates down by making sure your teen has taken a driver education course.