Can Parents Face Consequences For Their Children’s Car Accidents In New York?

If your child has caused a serious crash in New York, you might be held responsible. This was recently made clear when parents in New York were sentenced for a fatal crash caused by their child. Could you face the same penalty for a serious crash caused by your teen? What if your child killed someone while driving your car? What if they were intoxicated? These are all questions you might want to ask your New York DWI lawyer.

Parents Found Guilty for Crash Caused by Their Child 

In what has been called a “groundbreaking case,” two parents in New York were found guilty of a fatal crash caused by their child. At the time of the accident, their son was 16. His 14-year-old passenger died when the vehicle crashed into a UPS truck at over 100 miles per hour. After this initial impact, the car spun across the road and struck a semi-truck. The passenger was ejected from the vehicle in the process and subsequently lost her life.

While the crash was certainly shocking, the most distinct aspect of this story is the role of the parents. They were accused of “facilitating” the crash by giving their 16-year-old son access to the vehicle. He was not legally allowed to drive at the time of the accident.

The child received the vehicle (a BMW) as a birthday gift. According to New York law, the child could only drive the vehicle if he was accompanied by an adult over the age of 21.

So how exactly were the parents “facilitating” access to the vehicle? In simple terms, they were accused of making no real effort to stop him from driving without an adult. The child was spotted driving alone on a regular basis, and one school employee even told the parents that they had seen the child driving himself to school with no supervision. He was also given a traffic ticket for using an electronic device while driving.

In the end, the parents pleaded guilty to “endangering the welfare of a child.” That being said, neither parent was incarcerated. The father received three years of probation, while both parents were ordered to complete a 26-week parenting class. They also were ordered to attend a Victim Impact Panel Program. In New York, parents may also be liable for crashes caused by their children in civil courts.

Find an Experienced Rockland County DWI Lawyer 

If you’ve been searching for an experienced Rockland County DWI lawyer, look no further than Phillip J. Murphy, Attorney at Law. Over the years, we have helped numerous defendants – including those who have been charged with driving offenses. The recent sentence in New York shows that parents can undoubtedly be held accountable for the actions of their children behind the wheel. If you find yourself in this situation, be sure to book a consultation at your earliest convenience.

Sources: 

nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/parents-teen-driver-101-mph-nyc-crash-killed-14-year-old-sentenced-queens/5623573/

nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/260.10