ther conditions:Do not reduce speed to avoid crashDo not use turn signals when turning or changing lanesOperate the vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs: The California Office of Traffic Safety reports that nearly 53 percent of traffic fatalities in 2021 involved drivers testing positive for drugs. A reported 1,370 people in California died from alcohol-related crashes.Use smartphones or other devices while driving: According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, distracted driving claimed 140 lives in 2021 in California. The California Highway Patrol cited 57,446 motorists for violations of cell phone use while driving from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022.Fail to stay in a lane of travel: A reported 11,326 crashes (nearly one out of every five) in 2023 resulted from “improper turning.”When the Owner Didn't Drive the Car: The Borrowing Driver If a car owner lends a vehicle to a driver who negligently causes a wreck, the face liability for the damages, thanks to California Vehicle Code Section 17150. This applies whether the owner expressly or impliedly (that is, taking into account actions and circumstances) gave permission for the at-fault driver to have the car.Relationships between the owner and driver also afford evidence of implied permission. These include spouses or those romantically involved or sharing the same household, or a parent-child.You might also show implied permission, for example, by:The owner's giving keys to the driverThe owner's allowing the driver to have the keys on a regular basisThe owner's keeping the keys in a place readily accessible to members of the household, such as a dining room table or key ring in the kitchenThe driver's repeated use with knowledge of the owner and without protest or prohibition from the ownerThe owner's requesting the driver to retrieve something from a store or restaurantThe driver's performing an errand for the household or benefit of the vehicle ownerVehicle owners face liability under the “permissive use” statute only up

Depending on the circumstances, the owner of a vehicle lent to another can be held responsible for an accident caused by the permissive driver. California Vehicle Code Section 17150 states: “Every owner of a motor vehicle is liable and responsible for death or injury to person or property resulting from a negligent or wrongful act or omission in the operation of the motor vehicle, in the business of the owner or otherwise, by any person using or operating the same with the permission, express or implied, of the owner.” Damages resulting from a permissive use accident will first be recovered under the owner’s applicable insurance coverage for the vehicle.

I am liable if someone causes an accident in my car? In California, if you give permission for someone to use your car, the California Vehicle Code § 17150 states, “Every owner of a motor vehicle is liable and responsible for death or injury to person or property resulting from a negligent or wrongful act or omission in the operation of the motor vehicle, in the business of the owner or otherwise, by any person using or operating the same with the permission, express or implied, of the owner. “ Implied permission means that even if you didn’t verbally give permission, under some circumstances it can be inferred that you permitted another person to drive the car (i.e. by handing the person your car keys).