Cars, Passengers, Lawsuits, Insurance, and Parents!

[HaxorNubcake]

My mom pretty much decreed that I (16) can't take passengers in my car. Her rationale is that any type of accident can pretty much get her sued because I'm a minor.

Supposedly, even if I get in an accident thats not my fault, if the other car doesn't have insurance and my passenger gets injured, the passenger can sue me, and consequently my mom because I'm a minor with no monetary assets.

I've been driving ~8 months now, no accidents, never pulled over, no tickets. I'm generally regarded as the best driver of the family.

My question is, Are her arguments accurate and her 'decree' understandable? and if not, how should I go about convincing her to change her mind.

I obviously keep driving with passengers to a minimum, but I do need to give a few people rides occasionally. I suppose that I can just take them secretely/without her permission, but if we could work out a compromise of some sort, that'd be best.

*note: parents are divorced, I live with Mom; Dad pays the insurance, owns the car

Cliffs:
1. 16 year old HaxorNubcake's mother says no driving with other passengers.
2. Mother fears hypothetical lawsuits.
3. HaxorNubcake, safe driver, no tickets, pull over, accidents, etc disagrees
4. Are Mother's arguments rational and understandable?
5. HaxorNubcake doesn't want to have to unnecessarily do things behind Mother's back.
6. Any other options?

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Locked at op's request.

Mod

 

[DurocShark]

Understandable, but that's what insurance is for.

BTW: Here in CO, you can't take minors with you for the first year you're driving. So it's almost a moot point.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: HaxorNubcake
Supposedly, even if I get in an accident thats not my fault, if the other car doesn't have insurance and my passenger gets injured, the passenger can sue me, and consequently my mom because I'm a minor with no monetary assets.

Well you can be sued for anything of course. But the person to sue in that case is the other driver. If it isn't your fault and you're a licensed driver I don't think you're liable.

 

[HaxorNubcake]

Originally posted by: Yossarian

Originally posted by: HaxorNubcake
Supposedly, even if I get in an accident thats not my fault, if the other car doesn't have insurance and my passenger gets injured, the passenger can sue me, and consequently my mom because I'm a minor with no monetary assets.

Well you can be sued for anything of course. But the person to sue in that case is the other driver. If it isn't your fault and you're a licensed driver I don't think you're liable.

IIRC my mom said something along the lines of I would have been the one to place the passenger in the dangerous situation so if the passenger has some hefty medical bills to pay and the person at fault can't pay, then I'm next up in the 'responsibility line'

 

[Ryan]

You're 16 - you're not by any means an experienced driver, and driving with friends in your car can be a big distraction. Don't kid yourself - true experience/control in operating a vehicle takes YEARS and thousands of miles to achieve.

Again, you're 16 - this: "no tickets, pull over, accidents" means nothing.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: HaxorNubcake

Originally posted by: Yossarian

Originally posted by: HaxorNubcake
Supposedly, even if I get in an accident thats not my fault, if the other car doesn't have insurance and my passenger gets injured, the passenger can sue me, and consequently my mom because I'm a minor with no monetary assets.

Well you can be sued for anything of course. But the person to sue in that case is the other driver. If it isn't your fault and you're a licensed driver I don't think you're liable.

IIRC my mom said something along the lines of I would have been the one to place the passenger in the dangerous situation so if the passenger has some hefty medical bills to pay and the person at fault can't pay, then I'm next up in the 'responsibility line'

It's amazing that people will sue whoever has the money rather than whoever truly is liable.

 

[HaxorNubcake]

Originally posted by: Ryan
You're 16 - you're not by any means an experienced driver, and driving with friends in your car can be a big distraction. Don't kid yourself - true experience/control in operating a vehicles takes YEARS and thousands of miles to achieve.

Again, you're 16 - this: "no tickets, pull over, accidents" means nothing.

Hmm coming from the pizza delivery guy i'm sure this is good advice (No, i'm not being sarcastic or facetious) *though I have driven a monstrous eight thousand miles 😀

As I said earlier, I keep driving with passengers (usually singular) to a minimum and I really don't disagree that there's an increased risk. However, from like liability perspectives and all that do you have any advice?

 

[Killerme33]

HAXOR IS THE WORST DRIVER EVER! I was riding with him to the movies and we drove into a post and I broke 6bones and I'm now suing him.

Just messing, your mom's asian.

 

[HaxorNubcake]

Originally posted by: Killerme33
HAXOR IS THE WORST DRIVER EVER! I was riding with him to the movies and we drove into a post and I broke 6bones and I'm now suing him.

Just messing, your mom's a bitch.

motion for ban 🙂 (hah jokes)
*although you can remove the comment about my mom...it's sorta vulgar.

correction is: your mom's asian.

 

[Killerme33]

Originally posted by: HaxorNubcake

Originally posted by: Killerme33
HAXOR IS THE WORST DRIVER EVER! I was riding with him to the movies and we drove into a post and I broke 6bones and I'm now suing him.

Just messing, your mom's a bitch.

motion for ban 🙂 (hah jokes)
*although you can remove the comment about my mom...it's sorta vulgar.

correction is: your mom's asian.

Ok fine, that sucks bigtime.

 

[mwtgg]

Your mom > you.

Sorry.

 

[sunase]

No clue how valid the lawsuit thing is, but this is a pretty serious rule you are breaking. If my parents allowed me to use a car they own and pay for and set out a rule like that, I would completely expect them to take it away when they found out I was breaking it.