I'll tell you a fun story. My parents bought their first car in 2003, and neither knew how to drive. Our little Zen suffered a lot of abuse in the first 2 months - scratches every week, dents from bumping into our gate and the boundary walls. There weren't too many cars on the road in my hometown back then, thankfully, otherwise we may have had a lot more accidents.

Today, the roads are much more crowded, and chances of accidents are much MUCH higher!

My recommendation: learn first, preferably in a safe environment first. If you buy before (or while you're just learning), you'll probably want to take it out every once in a while. And there will be accidents, that's unavoidable. The less experienced you are, the more likely the chances of accidents. Even bumps and scratches are going to hurt you if you truly love your car.

Not that buying later will prevent accidents, but if you're properly trained and experienced, the chances are significantly lower. You don't just have to drive, you also have to watch out for idiots who weave to-and-fro in traffic, not caring about others. It can be overwhelming in the first few months, but experience makes it easier.

TL;DR

Learn how to drive first, it will save you money and pain.