The Florida Highway Patrol reported that a 16-year-old boy from Nokomis caused a recent accident that resulted in serious injuries to four people.
The accident reportedly occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 10, at the U.S. 41 bypass and Via Venito in Sarasota County. A witness reported seeing the teen driver speeding in the southbound lanes of the U.S. 41 bypass when he suddenly lost control of the SUV he was driving. He hit the curb, causing the vehicle to spin out and move into the northbound section of the highway, where it went airborne and landed atop another car.
The 16-year-old driver and his two passengers, who were 13- and 14-year-old boys, had to be taken to nearby hospitals. The driver of the other vehicle in the northbound lanes, a 61-year-old woman from Osprey, was also taken to the hospital for treatment.
Troopers said the vehicle the boys were in had previously been reported stolen by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
Parental liability for accidents caused by teens
In most normal cases, an accident caused by a teenager would result in the parent being liable for any resulting damage or injuries, meaning any personal injury claims would be filed against the parents, rather than directly against the child.
This is a special case, however, as there is a criminal element to it as well — if the boys stole the vehicle and then drove it recklessly, they would be prosecuted criminally for their actions and would likely also bear the civil brunt for the accident.
To learn more about how to proceed with a personal injury claim if you’ve been injured in an accident caused by an underage driver, work with a dedicated Bradenton auto accident lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.