There are several steps that teens must take in order to become a new driver. They have to learn the rules of the road. They have to figure out the controls in a vehicle and how they work. Most importantly, they have to become skilled at not running into things (or people!) while driving a car.

But new drivers also have to obtain car insurance, as required by law. Naturally, these individuals will want to minimize the amount they'll have to spend on an auto insurance premium; but generally speaking, drivers with less experience cost more to cover than those who have been driving for a long time. Therefore, new drivers might have to work a little harder to find cheap car insurance.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Compare several quotes. Not all auto insurance providers are alike. Each company targets different types of drivers, and some may offer better deals to new drivers than others. So take the time to visit several websites and figure out which car insurance company offers the best price for your policy.

1. Buy only the minimum coverage. Every state has a minimum level of coverage which you are required to purchase in order to be allowed to drive there. But insurance companies offer additional types of policies (like comprehensive coverage or uninsured motorist coverage), above and beyond what the state requires. If you want to save money, don't purchase any of that additional coverage.

1. Take a driver's education course. Depending on what state you live in, this may be a requirement for your license anyway. In any case, be sure to tell your potential insurer that you have completed a certified driver's education course; the fact that you have done so will lower your premium.

1. Piggyback onto another driver in your household. If you have a spouse, parent, or other relative who lives with you and already has auto insurance, look into being added on to his or her policy. In many cases, it's often cheaper to become a second driver on an existing car insurance policy than to procure auto insurance for yourself.

1. Consider high deductibles. Each auto insurance policy mandates a deductible below which you are responsible for paying on an insurance claim. But if the deductible is higher, the policy premium is usually lower. So if you buy a policy with a $1,000 deductible, you'll pay less than you would for the same coverage that carries a $250 deductible.

1. Keep a lid on your mileage. The standard rule of thumb is that you'll pay less for auto insurance if you drive fewer than 7,500 miles per year, which averages out to about 144 miles per week. If you're just now getting auto insurance, chances are you've found alternative means of getting around for some time now. So just keep walking, bicycling, taking public transportation, or carpooling and resist the urge to drive everywhere you need to go.

1. Think about your car. Insurance premiums for different makes and models of vehicles are all over the map, so do some research into which cars or trucks cost less to inure. As a rule, older cars are cheaper to cover than newer ones; so consider opting for a used car instead of a new one.

Car safety is constantly improving. Seat belts, air bags, and crumple zones are all forms of technology that have become standard in every new car that hits American roads. But even though these features have driven down fatalities and injuries (auto insurance companies rejoice!), cars can always improve, and the government is looking to make even more safety technology standard in the future.

In their recent list of most-wanted car safety improvements, here's what the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended be in every car in the near future:

#5) Electronic Stability Control

Electronic Stability Control systems, or ESC, are already standard in many larger vehicles, such as SUVs, and for a reason: Estimates are they reduce fatalities by a third. The systems, which detect skidding and apply braking to individual wheels while reducing engine power, are widely considered one of the more important life-saving technologies, and will be standard in all new cars by the end of the year.

#4) Adaptive Cruise Control

Cruise control is great for some drivers, but it also presents a problem: Making sure you react to changing road conditions. Adaptive cruise control helps do that for you by scanning the road constantly and adjusting speed according to what it detects. While rudimentary versions of these systems have been around since the 1990s, and it's largely a feature on luxury cars, Subaru has already introduced ACC systems in their 2013 Outback and Legacy models, and Chevy will be bringing them to the 2014 Impala. Expect any new car to come with these systems before we vote in the 2016 elections.

#3) Lane and Collision Warnings

One of the simplest uses of sensors is to simply let drivers know when something is going wrong. Lane and collision warnings uses this sensor data to let you know when you might be drifting, or when the other guy might be on his phone instead of paying attention. It sounds simple, and it is; but even just letting drivers know can save lives. Expect this to be standard by the end of 2015, as companies will be installing these sensors for other reasons, and configuring the warnings is fairly cheap and simple.

#2) Automatic Braking

Speaking of those sensors, it's an old joke but it's true: It really is often the speed that kills you in collisions. So if all else has failed and it looks like you're about to crash, automatic braking systems slam on the brakes, reducing speed and turning fatalities into injuries, and serious injuries into minor ones.

That said, there's still a lot of controversy around these systems, since they can take control out of the driver's hands and some of the more aggressive designs will automatically stop for, for example, stop signs. Expect these to be an option, not standard, in most cars by 2020.

#1) Smartphone Lockdown

The final recommendation is possibly the one that most people will dislike: Systems that detect when the smartphone is near the driver ... and lock it down.

Distracted driving is dangerous, and it's unclear if hands-free sets are as dangerous as socketing the phone in your ear. Nonetheless, this idea is less than popular among automakers and many drivers. Still, expect it to start becoming available sooner rather than later, especially as an aftermarket system for used cars to keep teenagers from yakking themselves right into an accident.