3 Situations Where You May Be Liable For An Accident When Someone Else Is Driving
If you own an automobile, you are probably aware that driving your car or truck comes with its own sets of responsibilities. After all, if you are in an accident while driving your car, you likely know that you will be held liable if that accident is deemed to be your fault. However, if you let someone else drive your car, you may also be held liable if an accident occurs when that person is driving. Consider these three situations where you may be held liable if the driver has an accident even through you weren't behind the wheel of the vehicle.
Situation #1: Loaning Your Car to Someone Who Drives Under the Influence
If you give the keys of your car to a driver who is intoxicated, you may get in trouble. If a driver causes an accident while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the owner of the vehicle may be responsible for damages caused by the drunk driver. That may sound unfair, but it is of utmost importance that you not lend your car to someone you don't completely trust.
Many states have owner liability laws that place the owner of a car on the hook for damages caused by the drunk driver. This is true when the person had permission from the vehicle owner to drive the car. You had to give your consent, though, so don't worry about being held liable if your car is stolen.
Situation #2: Permitting an Employee to Drive Your Car
If you own a business, you may have numerous times where you need employees to complete errands or do tasks outside the office. Other companies simply require employees to travel around town often. If you allow employees to drive your car for various business-related matters, you may be held reliable if the person gets in an accident while driving your vehicle.
Situation #3: Allowing Your Kids to Drive Your Vehicle
Although it can seem perfectly natural for you to allow your children to drive your car when they get their driver's license, it's important to understand that you are likely to be liable if an accident happens. If your teen is a minor and is careless when the accident occurs, you may still be liable for the teen.
Finally, when you allow other people to drive your motor vehicle, you may be making yourself vulnerable to a wide variety of consequences. You may want to talk to a personal injury attorney if you fear that you are being held unfairly responsible or were in an accident where you were injured because of others' negligence. When you are very careful about who you allow to get behind the wheel of your car, you can protect yourself from facing liability because of others' bad behavior. For more information, visit a website such as https://grdlaw.com/.