According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), 2,163 drivers aged 16-19 were killed in 2013, and 243,243had to be treated in emergency rooms for injuries they received inauto accidents.

The CDC also says that teen drivers are three times as likely tobe involved in a fatal crash, are more likely to underestimatedangerous driving situations, speed without allowing theappropriate distance between vehicles, and engage in other riskybehaviors.

Keeping teen drivers safe is a concern for most parents andCalifornia-based Mercury Insurance has released a list of the top 10safest and most affordable 2016 vehicles to insure for teendrivers, based on ratings from the National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration.

“Teenagers are statistically the most likely to be involved in acollision, so it's important for them to be in a vehicle thatoffers them the most protection if that happens,” said Jim Reeves,group manager of reserach and development for MercuryInsurance.

The NHTSA evaluates new vehicles in two areas: Crashworthiness, that is how well a vehicle will protectoccupants in the event of a crash, and crash avoidance andmitigation, which evaluates how technology can help prevent orreduce the severity of an accident.

Crashworthiness is rated on five points:

1. Moderate overlap front. A car drives at 40 mphtoward a 2-foot-tall barrier with approximately 40 percent of thetotal width of the car striking the barrier.
2. Small overlap front. A vehicle travels at40 mph toward a 5-foot-tall rigid barrier with 25 percent of thetotal width of the vehicle strikes the barrier.
3. Side testing. A 3,300-pound SUV-like barrierstrikes the driver's side door at 31 mph.
4. Roof strength. The roof is crushed in 5inches to simulate the effect of a rollover and the degree of forceneeded to crush the roof is measured.
5. Head restraints. Crash dummies are usedto simulate what happens in a rear-end collision, since goodrestraints can prevent neck sprains, strains and other whiplashinjuries.

Crash prevention systems are rated basic, advanced or superiordepending on the type of systems offered and the car's performancein track tests.

Mercury Insurance compiled its list based on the NHTSA ratingsand the cost to fully insure the vehicles (liability, comprehensiveand collision) in California.

Read on to see the list of recommendations:

(Photo: iStock)

10. Honda HR-V EX

NHTSA rates the vehicles as good, acceptable, marginal or poor.For crashworthiness, the Honda HR-V, a small SUV, scored either“good” or “acceptable.” While it was not rated for front cashprotection, its headlights were rated “poor” and its child seatanchors were rated “marginal” for ease of use.

The manufacturer's suggested retail price ranges from $19,215 to$21,315.

(Photo: iStock)

9. Dodge Dart

This small car weighs just over 3,000 pounds and getsapproximately 28 mpg in the city and 41 on the highway. Forcrashworthiness, the Dart was rated “good” or “acceptable.”

The MSRP $16,995 to $19,395.

(Photo: iStock)

8. Subaru Outback

The midsize car gets approximately 25 mpg for city driving and aslightly higher 33 mpg on the highway. NHTSA rated it “good” in allcategories for crashworthiness and rated it “superior” withoptional equipment for front crash protection.

The MSRP is $24,995 to $30,395.

(Photo: iStock)

7. Volkswagen Golf SportWagen

This small car ranks first out of nine wagons, according to U.S.News and World Report, and is one of the least expensive wagons inthe class. It gets anywhere from 25-31 mpg in the city and 35-43mpg on the highway.

The NHTSA rated it “good” in all categories for crashworthinessand “advanced” with optional equipment for front crash protection.The driver assistance package offers forward collision warning iffollowing a vehicle too closely and applies the brakes if it sensesthat a crash is imminent. It also offers blind-spot monitoring andwarns drivers if they cross traffic lanes.

The MSRP ranges from $21,625 to $29,385.

(Photo: iStock)

6. Hyundai Elantra

The first of two vehicles by Hyundai to make the list, theElantra rated “good” in almost every crashworthiness category.Front crash protection was not rated. The car averages 28 mpg inthe city and 38 mpg on the highway.

Depending on whether the car has a manual or automatictransmission, the MSRP ranges from $17,250 to $19,700.

(Photo: iStock)

5. Honda Fit

The second Honda vehicle to make the list, the Fit is the onlyminicar on the list, but scored either “good” or “acceptable” inall crashworthiness categories. The Fit boasts the best gas mileageof all of the vehicles on the list with 33 mpg in the city and 41mpg on the highway.

The MSRP ranges from $15,890 to $17,800 for a manualtransmission.

(Photo: iStock)

4. Honda CR-V LX

The last Honda vehicle to make the list, the CR-V LX offers aless obstructed view than some other vehicles in the same compactsport utility class. NHTSA rated it “good” in every category forcrashworthiness and “superior” for front crash prevention withoption equipment.

The CR-V costs a little more with a base price of $25,145.

(Photo: iStock)

3. Hyundai Tucson

The second vehicle from Hyundai to make the list is the Tucson,a small SUV which was rated “good” across the board forcrashworthiness and “superior” for front crash protection withoptional equipment. The headlights were rated acceptable forcertain trim packages.

Gas mileage for the Tucson averaged 26 mpg in the city and 33mpg on the highway.

The mid-priced SUV ranges from $22,700 to $26,150.

(Photo: iStock)

2. Kia Soul

One of the least expensive cars on the list, this subcompact wasrated “good” for overall crashworthiness and “basic” for frontcrash protection with optional equipment. It averages 24 mpg in thecity and 31 mpg on the highway.

With a price tag of $15,900 for a manual transmission to $19,400for an automatic with some bells and whistles, it offers parents anaffordable option for a new vehicle.

(Photo: iStock)

1. Kia Sportage

Another vehicle by Kia grabs the top spot on the list. TheSportage, a compact sport utility vehicle, gets high marks forcrashworthiness, scoring a “good” in every category. NHTSA alsorated it “superior” with optional equipment for front crashprevention. The only low mark was a “poor” for the headlights.

The city mpg is slightly lower than some of the other vehicleson the list with 21. It does a little better on the highway with 28mpg. There are multiple configurations available, so the MSRPranges from a low of $22,150 to $29,990.

Parents can check the crashworthiness of any vehicle by visitingthe NHTSA website for more information.

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