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Are parents to blame if their teen crashes the car?

On Behalf of | Sep 27, 2022 | Personal injury | 0 comments

If a teenage driver crashes into you, you might question the parents. You might wonder if the parents were too lax on their children and did not instill respect for the rules.

Regardless of what crosses your mind, it’s the driver you need to blame. If they have a license, then they must take responsibility for their actions. That is not to say that parents cannot have some control over their children’s driving. 

Here are some sensible steps parents of new drivers can take to help their kids stay safe and reduce the chance that their child injuries someone else:

Limit their passengers

Passengers can be incredibly distracting, especially a bunch of friends who are over-excited about a night out.

Limit their driving

Your child might want to drive to a late-night pool party. That does not mean you should let them. Occasions where they may be tempted by drink or drugs are a danger to everyone if they drive. Maybe you need to operate the mom and dad taxi service one more time in such an event.

They should also build up their driving experience gradually. Driving in the dark is much harder. Driving distance is tiring, and drowsiness is dangerous.

Help them access a suitable vehicle

If your child has saved up their money, they can, in theory, buy the car they want. Yet as parents, you have an opportunity to guide them toward a more sensible choice. Not only will a more sedate vehicle reduce the chance they hit a hundred through the town, but it will vastly reduce their insurance premiums.

If someone else’s child injures you, the parents may try to appeal to you for leniency. You might feel sorry for them, but you need sufficient compensation to cover the costs of your injuries. Seek legal help to get it.