Alcohol & Drugs: DUI, DWI Liability of Parents of Adult child DUI driving their car...

[MamK]

Please help me....our daughter (age 19), a college student is driving our car while attending UCLA. She is on our insurance and the car is in our name. Last summer we caught her drinking while driving this same car when she came home for summer break. Fortunately, she has never been stopped by law enforcement while drunk and has assured us she will not do this again.

Since our name is on the title, are we financially or criminally responsible should she get into an alcohol-related accident where someone else is injured or killed? Even though she is an adult?

Since she is 19, would the best move be to put the car into her name and tell her to obtain her own insurance?

Please help, we are trying to make the best decision. Thank you, MamaK

 

[seniorjudge]

Q: Since our name is on the title, are we financially or criminally responsible should she get into an alcohol-related accident where someone else is injured or killed? Even though she is an adult?

A: It is very possible you could be held liable, especially since you already know of her alcoholism.


Q: Since she is 19, would the best move be to put the car into her name and tell her to obtain her own insurance?

A: Yes.

 

[muggsyj]

This is not legal Advice!


Hey MamaK,

If she is 19 and has enought money to get drunk then let her have the responsabilty of buying her own car and insurance.

We can only do so much for our children but there comes a time when we all have to draw a line in the sand and just be ready with the safety blanket when they fall.


Take care


Mark.

 

[MamK]

Okay one more question about my drinking/driving college student

Thanks for your sound advice.... If we transfer title, have her get her own insurance policy, but still provide some financial support for college and claim her as a dependent on our 1040 tax form, could we lose in court against a civil or criminal lawsuit? Tripple A says possibly, what do you say?