Inexperienced drivers tend to get into more accidents than those with more years behind the wheel. While crashes involving a teen driver can be more complex to handle than others, the same legal principles apply. The driver at fault is responsible for the losses others suffer in the accident.
Our dedicated auto collision attorneys have years of experience representing people injured in teen driving accidents in Mesa. Get in touch right away for help preparing and presenting your case for compensation.
Arizona’s Graduated Licensing Scheme
Arizona has a licensing system for teens that allows them to earn more driving privileges as they get more experience driving. Arizona Revised Statute § 28-3101 allows teens at least 15 and a half years old to get a learner’s permit with their parent’s permission, if they pass a written test. Holders of learner’s permits cannot drive without an adult in the car.
Once the motorist turns 16 or has a learner’s permit for at least six months they can apply for a Class G graduated license. They must show that they have passed a driver’s education course, or their parent must confirm in writing that they have had 30 hours of driving practice, and at least ten of those hours must be at night. At 18 they can apply for an unrestricted Class D driver’s license.
Parents must put all drivers, including unlicensed teen drivers, on their insurance. The Mesa insurance company should provide a written endorsement confirming it will cover the teen driver if they get into an accident.
Parents Are Liable for Their Teen’s Negligence
As teens get comfortable handling a car, they may take more risks. This is especially likely when the child has friends in the vehicle with them. Parents can be held legally liable if their child is at fault in an accident that causes property damage or injuries. If their insurance is not adequate to cover an injured person’s losses, the parents’ assets could be at risk. When someone suffers an injury at the hands of a teen driver in Mesa, their accident attorney could bring a lawsuit against the teen’s parents.
Additionally, parents can be liable even when the teen is over 18. When a teen drives a parent’s car with permission, an injured person could assert that the parents were negligent to entrust their vehicle to the them.
Proving Negligence in a Teen Driving Accident
When someone injured in a car crash seeks compensation, they must prove that their injuries resulted from negligence. When a teenage driver is at fault for a crash, any failure to comply with the restrictions on the teen’s license could be evidence of negligence.
For example, depending on the teen’s age and how long they have been driving, they may not be permitted to drive at night or to transport peers in their vehicle. Also, no one under 21 may use a cell phone while driving, even in hands-free mode. Violating these laws and restrictions could trigger responsibility to pay an injured person’s losses. After a Mesa accident with a teen driver, our team could review police citations, talk to witnesses, subpoena cellphone records, and more to establish fault.
Contact a Mesa Injury Attorney After a Teen Driving Accident
Car insurance claims become more complicated when a teen is involved. Whether you were hurt because of a teen driver’s mistake or your teen was injured in an accident that another driver caused, you need skilled representation.
At the Phillips Law Group, our team has been representing injured people in the community for years. Call us when you have a claim involving teen driving accidents in Mesa. We could explain your legal position and help you decide how to proceed.
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