(January 21, 2004) — Everyone turns 16 someday and with that come the rewards of young adulthood, one of the most anticipated being the ability to get a driver’s license. A driver’s license opens up many new doors that had previously been locked by either the law or one’s parents. The privilege comes with new responsibilities as well, including the burden of paying for insurance. California State Law requires that all drivers have liability insurance. But what exactly is liability insurance? The insurance company basically promises to pay a certain amount of the damages you cause to yourself, your car, public property and other people in the event of an accident. The cost of insurance differs from person to person depending on certain variables. Reputable companies such as 21st Century Insurance and the Automobile Club of Southern California usually charge more for insurance than less known companies. The type of car also affects coverage cost. A beat-up piece of junk won’t exactly need the highest level of insurance, whereas a luxury sedan will. One of the biggest variables in insurance cost is how highly the insurance company thinks of you. According to price quotes from 21st Century Insurance, a newly- licensed, male, C-average student with a sports car, in the insurance company’s eyes, is an accident waiting to happen, and so the insurance rate begins at $2,000 for six months. This rate is much higher than that of an honor roll female student with a Honda Civic, which starts at around $800. Young adults are considered unsafe drivers, which further adds to the cost of coverage. Insurance may cost as little as a couple of hundred dollars for six months but could skyrocket into the ranges of thousands when choosing to cover more options. The more you pay, the greater the insurance company will pay in the case of an accident. Although paying the price of insurance can be challenging, the consequences of not doing so are far worse. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, driving without insurance could lead to “fines from several hundreds of dollars,” “loss of your driver’s license for a year” and “[payment] of the injured person.” The cost may be financially difficult for some, and they’d rather take the risk than choose not to drive at all. “My friends don’t have it,” said one Clark junior. “They can’t afford it. They’re cautious drivers and try to avoid cops.” Insurance is a harsh necessity but is just another burden to deal with when growing older. While being able to drive is often considered newfound freedom, it also comes at a high price.