Are Parents Responsible for Car Accidents Caused by Minors?
If someone is involved in an car accident, and the person responsible for the automobile accident is a minor, the first question our firm is asked when this situation arises is, “Are the minor’s parents responsible for the injuries and damages their child has caused.” Parental liability is the legal term used to refer to a parent’s responsibility to pay for damages caused by their child. In California, a minor is a person under 18-years-old. Parental liability, if any exists, typically ends once the child reaches the age of 18. Generally speaking, a parent is not legally responsible for a minor’s negligence. One of the most common examples of negligence is a car accident caused by inattention to road conditions, running a red light, drunk-driving (DUI) or speeding. If a minor causes an automobile accident and has minimal automobile insurance (California law generally requires a driver to carry only $15,000 per injured person or $30,000 for all person injured in an accident), an injured
