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Are Texas Parents Liable for Car Accidents Caused by Their Children?

Under Texas law, a parent can be held vicariously liable for the way their teen driver conducts themselves on the road in many circumstances. Therefore, it is important to have and maintain insurance policies on all cars and drivers in the home. Being the parent of a teen driver can be tough when they get into an accident. There are a lot of different circumstances that can hold the parent liable for a car accident they cause. One thing can be certain, many parents are not aware of the policies and scope of their ties to their child’s driving record.

Negligent Entrustment Can Get Texas Parents in Trouble

Regardless of the parent was in the car or not, they can still be liable for their teen’s actions behind the wheel. This law in Texas is called “negligent entrustment.” The law pertains to a parent trusting their teen behind the wheel of a vehicle they own regardless if they have their child under their insurance policy.

The only scenario which prevents a parent from being held liable for their child’s Dallas car accident is if their child is the sole name on the title of their vehicle they get into an accident with. This prevents the victim of the at-fault child’s misconduct behind the wheel from pursuing anything pertaining to the parent. If the child is the sole name on the title of the vehicle, they simply chose to drive the vehicle, rather than obtaining permission from the owner of the vehicle which would be their parent. This permission is what will put the liability back onto the parents since they are the owners of the vehicle involved.

I Forgot to Add My Teen to My Insurance Policy, are They Still Covered?

So long as your car is the vehicle in the accident, and your teen is a member of your home, typically the answer is “yes, they are covered.” Your biggest worry should be with the insurance company if they are one of the few which does not allow household members to be insured under the policy by default. In which case, you will have to list them as an additional driver under the policy just in case.

If you were involved in an accident with a teen driver in Dallas, and are seeking legal counsel in helping you retrieve the maximum compensation for the injuries you currently suffer from, your best bet is to learn more of your options by calling Angel Reyes at (214) 526-7900.

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