When you're shopping for car insurance for your teenage driver, keep in mind the type of car he or she drives can affect how much you pay. Even more importantly, you want to make sure your teen is driving a car that provides extra safety to compensate for their lack of experience. Here are some things to consider.

Stay away from a sporty, high performance vehicle. Car insurance companies will most likely charge a higher rate for sports cars. What's more, this kind of car can encourage your child to drive recklessly and increase the chance that they'll get into an accident.

Get a car with safety features. Front and side-impact air bags, anti-lock brakes (ABS) and good crash test performance in a vehicle will provide extra protection for your teen. These features also tend to save you some money on your auto insurance premium.

Older may be cheaper but not always safer. You'll probably get a lower rate if your teen is the primary driver on an older vehicle. Depending upon how old the car is though, it may not have the safety features to help keep your child safer.

A larger car is usually safer than a smaller vehicle. This may or may not make a difference on how much your auto insurance costs, but a larger vehicle will give you peace of mind while your child is driving. However, an SUV is considered to be a more dangerous vehicle for teens -- even though SUVs tend to be big. That's because they are easier to roll.

Once you've determined the car your teen will be driving, shop around for comparison car insurance quotes. Rates and discounts can vary between companies, so it's good to get at least three different quotes for the same coverages.