Getting your first car is a triumph for many people, but what kind of car is the best to get? Is a truck a good first car? While the first vehicle that I personally drove was a truck, I wanted to look further into the information available to see if this would apply to others as well.
Trucks are equally suitable as a first vehicle for a new driver. Their larger size may also provide increased visibility and additional protection in the event of an accident. To help avoid issues for inexperienced drivers, small and mid-size trucks will be the best choice for their smaller size.
Want to know more about why a truck would be a good first car? Then read on to see all of the reasons why a truck makes a good first car for teens and adults alike.
Are Pickup Trucks Good First Cars?
Trucks might seem like a more difficult vehicle to drive because of the larger size, but that isn’t necessarily true. Trucks are not difficult to drive, and a new driver will be able to handle driving a pickup without any issues.
Learning how to drive a large vehicle will make getting behind the wheel of a compact car or sedan easier because you are used to driving a larger vehicle with more blind spots, which will make you a better driver overall.
Trucks also cause you to have to look around you more often and pay attention to cars around you, which can help you stay safer on the road. It can even make you feel more confident when driving because you can handle a larger vehicle.
Having a truck also allows a new driver to practice hauling items in the bed of the truck. This should be something that is taught for when they move or begin working in an industrial setting where they haul equipment but are often not taught at first.
Though trucks have a more rigid design than cars which can be a bit tougher to drive when you are just learning, it doesn’t make a truck a bad first car.
Things to Consider Before Getting a Truck for a New Driver
Though a truck can be a good option for some driver’s first car, there can be a few caveats to think about before you put a new driver behind the wheel of a truck. Here are some things to consider before you decide to give or purchase a truck to a young or new driver.
The first is that a driver who is nervous about driving might not the best person behind the wheel because this can be more dangerous. Someone who is nervous is prone to making more mistakes on the road, and if they are in a larger vehicle, then a collision or accident can be worsened.
Also, having a driver that is not getting the hang of driving quickly might be having a harder time learning how to do all the different things at once, like steering and using the blinkers.
This will become second nature after some time, but if someone is not getting used to it as fast as they should, they might not be ready to get behind the wheel just yet.
This doesn’t just apply to new drivers as truck, however, and should be a sign that the person is not ready to get behind the wheel of any vehicle.
Are Pickup Trucks Safer Than Cars?
There are a few different things that make a truck different from a car, and one of those factors is that a truck will be safer to drive in many situations. A truck has a heavy-duty exterior that makes it less susceptible to damage.
This often helps a truck stay intact when it is in an accident or collision, even if the other vehicle has taken a significant amount of damage. This can also help the exterior from getting damaged when a fender bender happens, which could stop your truck from having any visible damage.
This can be a major plus because a new driver wants to feel safe and secure on the road, but their family also wants to feel confident that they will be okay when driving on a busy road for the first time.
This is not to say that cars are not safe, but having a tougher exterior can help keep the driver and their passengers safe.
How are They Unsafe?
Although there are benefits to having a truck, you also want to take a look at the negative side of driving a truck, as they are a few.
One of the biggest issues of driving a truck is that they are bigger, which means that they have more blind spots. When a new driver starts to drive a car, they are getting used to doing all the different things at once to drive properly.
This takes time with any car, but a truck can take a bit more getting used to because of the larger blind spots. Knowing where to check around you for other vehicles and pedestrians takes a little more work when in a larger truck, and you want a new driver to know that they must keep up with this to stay safe.
Remembering to do everything at once can be tough, but as long as they get enough practice, any driver will be able to drive a truck.
What is a Good First Truck for a Young Driver?
When you are looking for a truck for a new driver, you do not want to start out with something huge like a huge Ford F-350! This will make it more difficult to get used to driving because of the massive size and taller build.
Plus, larger trucks will consume gas faster, which can be a huge issue for a young driver who has to cover their own gas cost. Or, if parents are paying for the gas, they will not want to have to cover these larger costs!
But, having a mid-sized option is much more acceptable for a younger driver who is just learning to drive. Trucks like a Toyota Tacoma, which have smaller sized options to choose from, will be a better choice for a newer driver.
These models are mid-sized and don’t have the same gas mileage as the larger options, so it won’t break the bank with a high gas cost. It also is lower to the ground and will feel more like a car than bigger truck options.
Another great option is the Ford Ranger. This truck also has a mid-sized model that can be used for hauling items and has a good-sized truck bed that you can use for multiple needs.
This truck is similar in size to the Tacoma and it comes with a similar fuel-efficiency that also doesn’t cost much to fill up the gas tank. They also come with a truck bed that is nearly the same size as the Tacoma’s.
You could also opt for looking for a classic Chevy truck that comes in a smaller size than their modern options. Many trucks from the fifties to the seventies have been restored and can be bought for younger drivers.
These vehicles have a unique style and come in small sizes like the Tacoma and Ranger truck models, or smaller. The older the truck is, the smaller it tends to be. So, if you are specifically looking to purchase a Chevy truck, you can search for older options that have a smaller engine and front end.
However, the caveat with these older vehicles is that they will not have the fuel-efficiency that modern trucks will. So, choosing to go with the Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma might cut a good chunk of gas money off the total cost of the vehicle.
Conclusion
Having a new driver, especially when they are young, can be a nervous-making situation, but whether they are driving a truck or a car, they will still be learning. This doesn’t mean that driving a truck is significantly harder, nor does it mean that a new driver shouldn’t learn to drive in a truck.
In fact, there are some benefits to learning how to a larger vehicle first, and it can help you stay safer on the road while making the transition to driving a sedan much easier. So, if you were worried about your new driver having to get behind the wheel of a truck, you don’t need to worry.
However, there is a difference between driving a mid-sized truck and a huge work truck! So, although driving a truck is not hard, you don’t want your teenager or young adult to learn how to drive in a huge Ford F-350.
This will make it more difficult for them, and possibly make them too nervous to get behind the wheel. So, start them off with a medium-sized truck, and you will likely find that they are learning quickly and will be able to transition to a smaller car with ease.
