It is easy to skip a payment. It is easy to say, “I will just be careful until I can get my insurance back. I will only drive my car when I need to.”

But far too often a few weeks turns into a few months and soon the temptation of never paying car insurance becomes increasingly tempting.

It is true that one can drive and not get caught. It is true that many college students do it. But, it is not a good idea.

College students are part of a high risk driving group. Young college students (age twenty and under) account for 14% of fatal car crashes, but make up only 7% of the driving population.

Teaching major, Sarah Sinard is not quick to blame college students. “I think that they are busy and they have a lot of other stuff on their minds, like school, paying for school, finals and jobs. They have to think so hard when they are in school that when they are out of school they’re brain dead.”

Accidents are not the only reason to get insured. Few college students are prepared to handle the financial burden of having their car stolen or vandalized.

In reality, purchasing insurance is in the long run more economically efficient than not purchasing it. It is, however, expensive. Psychology major, Monica Hernandez explains her solution to expensive car insurance. “My parents pay for it because it is cheaper if we put all our cars on the same policy.”She adds that the high rates given to college students are, “understandable because of the rates of accidents and tickets of young college students.”

Sinard says, “My car insurance isn’t that expensive because I’ve been driving for 11 years with a perfect record.”

Despite the abundant reasons for one to get insured, purchasing car insurance can sometimes be a daunting task.

The Consumer Communications Bureau offers the following definitions to help clarify terminology used in car insurance world.

“Premium”-refers to the yearly or six-month dollar amount required for a particular insurance plan. Cost can vary depending on age, gender, driving record and location.

“Deductible”-the amount of money that you must pay before your insurance company will help out with the repair costs after an accident. The higher the deductible you choose, the lower your premium will be.

“Coverage Options”-the components of your plan that offer you protection while on the road. Liability, collision and comprehensive coverage are the most common items for the typical policy.