Are parents liable for teen driving accidents? In most instances in which the teen driver is at fault, parents can be liable for an accident. By signing permissions for a driver’s license or learner permit, the parent accepts liability for any accident-related damages their teen may cause. Parents are not liable for punitive damages, but they are responsible for covering property damage and personal injury.
Since you may incur liability if your teen is involved in an accident, ensure that they have the required driver training and that they are covered by your insurance before allowing them to drive. They are generally not automatically covered by your insurance, so adjust your policy. If your teen is involved in an accident, consult our Salt Lake City teen driving accident lawyer for advice.
How Utah’s Modified No-Fault System Impacts Liability in Teen Driving Accidents
If a Utah teen is in an accident that causes comparatively minor injuries, understanding Utah’s no-fault insurance coverage should clarify matters. In essence, it means that each driver’s insurance covers their own injury costs regardless of fault. Lawsuits for injuries usually only ensue if damages exceed certain thresholds.
If your teen is considered to be to blame for a serious auto accident in which someone was severely injured, the situation is the same as what happens if you are at fault for a car accident. This includes complexities like shared liability when your teen was partly at fault but was not the only one to blame.
In that case, you will only find yourself liable for damages equaling the percentage of fault assigned to your teen. For example, if your teen was 60% at fault, you are liable for 60% of the compensation awarded to a plaintiff. This applies to injuries and property damage, with the latter always being settled on an at-fault basis.
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Important Laws Related to Parent Liability for Teen Driving Accidents
You can find a detailed explanation of personal injury protection insurance limitations, exclusions, and conditions in Utah Code Title 31A-22-309. These indicate the types of situations in which parents are liable for teen driving accident injuries to other drivers.
For information on how signing permissions for teen driving confer liability, consult Utah Code 53-3-211. If you are worried about your teen’s driving behavior after having signed permission, you will also find the process to follow to cancel cosigning liability.
The minimum insurance coverage you should have is specified in 31A-22-304. However, do remember that you must either add your teen as a driver to your family car or consider specifying them as the driver of another vehicle.
When Parents are Not Liable For Teen Driving Accidents in Utah
If your teen is involved in a car accident, they may not be to blame, or they may only have a small share of the fault. For example, in an accident involving two motor vehicles, a party that is responsible for 50% of the fault may not claim compensation from the other driver.
In other words, if the other driver is 50% or more at fault in a teen driving accident, the parent is not liable for any damages. However, there are times when this is a close call. Determining fault is a complex matter and often leads to lengthy deliberations that may end in a lawsuit.
In situations such as these, you will certainly need a good lawyer. Insurance companies see teen drivers as a risky prospect, and there may be a degree of bias in how they view accidents in which a teenager was involved.
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How Parents Can Help Reduce Teen Driving Accidents
Liability for teen driving accidents is not the only concern for parents. They should also be very aware of the elevated risk for inexperienced drivers. The CDC recommends reducing risk for teen drivers through monitoring, supervision, and involvement. As a parent, you can reduce risks by:
- Setting a good example by driving safely themselves.
- Insisting your teen observes teen driver restrictions.
- Insisting on seatbelt use.
- Educating your teen on the top risks teenagers face on the roads.
- Setting rules and stipulating what you expect from your teen.
- Helping teens build experience by driving under adult supervision.
- Using electronic devices to monitor teenagers’ driving habits.
- Providing feedback on driving errors you have noticed.
- Entering a parent-teen driving agreement and suspending driving privileges if the teen breaches it.
Regardless of liability, no parent would wish their child to be seriously injured or killed in an accident. The CDC warns that older cars have fewer safety features. It recommends choosing an affordable, newer car for a teen driver. It may handle better, helping your teen to avoid accidents, and will provide better protection in the event of a crash.
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What You and Your Teen Should Do if They Are Involved in a Driving Accident
What your teen does after being involved in a driving accident may impact your liability. For example, a teenager, upset after being involved in an accident, may apologise profusely to the other driver. This can be seen as an admission of guilt, even if your teenager did nothing wrong. Ensure that your teen knows what to do if an accident happens. Including:
- Pulling the vehicle over to a safe spot, if possible, and calling 911.
- Remaining on the scene to provide or call for help and to exchange insurance details.
- Taking pictures of the accident scene if they are able to do so.
- Refraining from apologizing or admitting fault. That will be determined later.
- Seeking medical attention as soon as possible. If they do not seem to be badly injured and did not go to an emergency room, you can take them to a doctor yourself.
Follow through by notifying your insurance company and contacting a Utah car accident lawyer. They can examine the accident report and any other information you and your teen have gathered and advise you on what to do next. Remember, there is a possibility that your teen is not the at-fault party, and in that case, you would not be liable for any damages.
Parent Liability For Teen Driving Accidents And How a Lawyer Can Help
Depending on your circumstances, there are several ways a car accident attorney from Siegfried & Jensen can help. Parents are liable for teen driving accidents, but only if the teen was 50% or more at fault. A lawyer will examine the facts.
If your teen was at fault, your lawyer can help you understand how your insurance coverage works and talk you through the process to follow if you want to have your teen’s license withdrawn. Do not leave determinations of liability in other people’s hands. Get professional advice.
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