What Happens If You Get in a Car Accident with Only a Permit?

A person can drive around most states with a permit only. These individuals might be teenagers who have yet to receive their license or could have lost their rights and are currently waiting for a replacement. Regardless of the situation, the driver must know what happens if you get caught driving without a driver's license or permit in an accident.

One of the motorist's main priorities should be legal advice on the matter at hand. The Keating Firm LTD has helped people with car accident injury cases for over a decade and has extensive experience dealing with insurance companies. Victims are greeted and appointed to a motor vehicle accident lawyer who can provide them with a free consultation for the case to be further investigated.

Those with only a learner's permit must know what to expect from other parties and the court in the event of an accident. If the person is unaware of the consequences of driving with a no license, they might be in for a big surprise if they cause a collision.

What Is a Leaner's Permit?

There are many names for a learner's permit, and these vary from state to state. Some people may call it a provisional instruction permit. In contrast, others might call it a driver permit, or in some regions, it's known as a temporary license, but all the terms refer to the same thing. The permit is required for one thing: for first-time motorists to start learning how to drive an automobile.

Most states require a permit for people who want to begin driving but have not yet reached the legal age limit. This isn't even a consideration in some states, but people need to check with their local law enforcement to find out the regulations in their area.

If someone wants to get their hands on a valid driver's license, obtaining a provisional license is the first thing to do. A lot can be done with a temporary instruction permit, as it allows new drivers onto the highways and public roads, which is crucial for their driving skills development.

People should know that the driver's license and permit are not the same, and there are restrictions set to keep other people safe on the roads.

How Does a Driver's License and a Driver Permit Differ?

Each license is different in multiple significant ways when going beyond the requirements needed to obtain it. By looking at the limitations imposed on these licenses, people can make themselves aware of the car laws concerning learner and driver regulations.

First off, a learner driver should not exceed the maximum capacity of the car; taking more passengers than recommended in the user manual is not advisable. This person could put the other driver and their lives at stake if massive injuries are sustained in a car accident.

In these cases, a police report must be filed at the crash to obtain statements about what happened, note injured parties, and check vehicle damage.

Secondly, new drivers need to be aware of the companion requirements. These regulations mean that a new driver must be accompanied by an older, more experienced driver with insurance. This is to protect anyone in the event of a car collision or severe injury to other parties.

Is Insurance Needed If a Person Uses a Learner's Permit?

The insurance requirements for learner motorists with permits only are different in each state. Some states allow a young driver to operate a motor vehicle without insurance because an insured driver usually covers them.

Therefore, the licensed adult driver would be responsive to the teen driver behind the wheel at the time of the accident. Any damages occurring from the car wreck must be procured from the parent driving with the kid at the time.

If a person is the custodian and guardian of a child with a learner's permit, their insurance company prefers to know which vehicle the teenager is using. With this information, the insurance company can be prepared if an accident occurs with someone with only a learner's permit.

Car Accident vs. Insurance Company

Including a minor in a policy can protect the kid in case of a severe accident, plus cover the car against property damage. When adults add their children to their insurance policy, they become known as "named insured."

Suppose the driver is not the person's family member but is using a learner's permit; they could still recover damages from a car accident as long as the owner said they could use their vehicles and they weren't ticketed for the accident. This kind of driver would be then known as a "permissive driver."

It's crucial for people never to assume that having a learner's permit or driving with it doesn't necessarily mean an insurance policy covers them. Contacting the insurance firm should be the first step a person takes to be more prudent and confirm that the adolescent is covered and on the scheme.

An individual should always review their policy before allowing another young adult to drive their automobile.

What Happens If There Is a Car Accident Injury?

If someone is involved in an accident and only has a learner's permit, the initial step is to seek medical assistance if any injuries are sustained. Once the person is confirmed to be okay, they take videos and photos of the crash site as evidence to support their claim. This evidence comes in handy when approaching a lawyer to bring the case to a court of law.

The Keating Firm LTD has been helping people with these cases for over a decade and knows the car accident laws surrounding a younger driver.

Driving Without Insurance

Insurance companies report that around 1 in 9 drivers in the United States drive without insurance coverage, meaning getting hit by an uninsured motorist is high. That should make people aware of the dangers of driving without insurance, especially if the person driving the vehicle has no driver's license.

It is also vital that teenage drivers using their parent's automobiles should be covered under the elder's auto insurance policy; otherwise, the insurance company might decline to pay for the claim. If this occurs, the child's parent could be held liable for damages caused by the accident.

Can Parents Be Held Liable?

In order to sue the young driver's parents, the victims need to prove the adult's negligence contributed to the teen driver's car accident. One example would be that the parent knew their kid had a history of reckless driving or their child was a terrible driver, but they did nothing to stop them from operating a motor vehicle.

In the eyes of the law, this concept is known as negligent entrustment; all full license drivers should be aware of this when letting drivers with only a learner's permit drive their automobile.

Consequences for Junior Drivers

A junior driver with a learner's permit and not an adult present could be imposed with harsh penalties under state law and could face many sanctions from the federal government. These penalties include up to a one-year permit suspension and having the person pay a fine of $100 to reinstate their driving permit.

Adolescent drivers who endanger others with their negligence or drive recklessly must pay fines of up to $600, as they do not consider public safety. These children's learner's permits are suspended, and they may need to take the additional driver safety training to get their license authorized again.

The Importance of Proper Driving Education

Even for the most experienced drivers, the road can be a dangerous place. However, teenagers are at more risk because of their lack of time spent on the road.

Every day around 320,000 teenagers are sent to emergency wards from injuries sustained during an automobile collision on the country's road. The demographic shows that 16 to 19-year-olds are more prone to these sorts of vehicular accidents.

Several other factors, including inexperience, contribute significantly to why young drivers are at such high risk. That means that drivers with only a permit need to be extra careful when behind the wheel of a motor car. Better driving education can also help these kids understand road safety precautions and best practices for new drivers.

However, there is no substitute for firsthand experience, so new drivers need to be on the road to operate a motor car better. If their parent is responsible and teaches them correctly, there should be no problem when spending time on the road.

Conclusion

Whether it's the other driver or plaintiff responsible for the car accident, personal injury, or violation, someone needs to settle the cost and compensation for the victim. The Keating Firm LTD offers a free consultation with its qualified accident lawyer so that people can ensure they are covered in the event of an auto collision.

When victims contact an attorney at The Keating Firm LTD, they can be assured all clients are treated equally, and cases are handled with 100% confidentially.