As if the thought of your teen driving wasn't scary enough

I was in my late teens when I started driving.

And I have never thought about this before now, but I saved my mother a large amount of money by not getting my license sooner. I didn't know this, but the average married couple's car insurance rate increases by 80% once they add a teen driver. That price tag is almost as scary as the idea that my son will be driving one day. (Almost.)

So two things:

1. You're welcome, Mom.
2. Forget saving to help my son buy a car; I'm going to start saving for when my son needs car insurance.

Research collected by InsuranceQuotes.com found that 16-year-olds are the most expensive, but that rates drop again once children reach the age of 19. Some states allow insurance rates to fluctuate by gender as well - with boys more costly than girls.

Yes, there are discounts available for good grades and driving classes, but in the end, it is still a lot of money that most of us didn't think about when we were encouraged to open all those saving accounts for college educations and family vacations.

When did you learn to drive? Were you expected to help pay for the car or the car insurance? Tell me in the comments.