Are Parents Liable if Their Teen Causes a Car Accident?

When a teen driver is involved in a car accident, the question of who is to blame often arises. In some cases, the parents of the teen may be held liable for the accident if the teen was driving their car or if the parents allowed the teen to drive without proper licensing or supervision.

It can be a difficult situation for the parents, as they may not have been aware of the risks involved with teen driving. However, understanding the laws surrounding parental liability for teen-caused car accidents can help to protect both parents and teens in the event of an accident.

Law of Vicarious Liability in California

Parents can be sued in a personal injury lawsuit for their teenager’s accident. This is because of the concept of vicarious liability, which holds that parents are liable for their minor child’s actions at the time of the accident. If a teen driver causes a car accident and is found to be liable for damages caused, then the parents can also be held liable for their minor child’s actions. The parent’s liability can arise if it is determined that they should have taken preventative measures or provided better guidance to their child prior to the accident that could have prevented the incident from occurring.

Parents can also be held liable if they allowed their teens to drive without proper training or supervision or if they allowed them to drive when they were clearly not fit to do so. Thus, parental liability is an important consideration in any car accident involving a minor child, and parents may need to take legal action to protect themselves against possible lawsuits if they are found liable for their minor child’s actions that caused the accident.

California Vehicle Code 17707

Additionally, California Vehicle Code 17707 holds parents jointly and severally liable with the minor for any damages that the minor may cause while driving a motor vehicle. This means that in a legal case, the parent and minor can both be held accountable for any damage caused by the minor’s driving.

In order to allow a minor to drive a motor vehicle, parents must sign a consent form as well as agree to be jointly and severally liable for any damages that may arise from their child’s driving. This means that even if only the minor is found responsible, the parent can still be held liable for damages incurred by their child’s driving. As such, Vehicle Code 17707 does make parents liable for their children’s driving in California.

What if My Teenage Child Drove My Car Without My Permission?

If your teenage child drove my car without your permission, you could still be held liable for any car accident that the minor child was involved in. It is your responsibility to keep your child from driving, and while the event may have been unexpected, fault still falls on your shoulders.

To ensure that an accident like this doesn’t happen, it’s important to always make sure you know who has access to the keys of your family car and that they all have explicit permission to drive it. This will help prevent situations in which your teen may drive your car in unsafe circumstances.

Contact an Experienced California Car Accident Lawyer Today

Car accidents can be traumatic for either party, and they can cause a lot of legal issues. If you were injured in an accident with a teen driver, you should discuss your case with a lawyer. You may be able to take legal action to collect compensation to help pay for your recovery expenses.

Kash Legal has the experience and resources to help you deal with a car accident case. Reach out to us at (888) 527-4128 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We’ll discuss the details of your case so we can help you with the next steps.