Can You Sue a Teen Driver Who Hurt You?
Yes, you can sue a teen driver who hurt you in a car accident. In California, a minor can be held responsible for careless driving, and the parents or guardians who signed the teen’s license application, the owner of the car, and the family’s auto insurance may also be responsible for your losses.
National Teen Driver Safety Week runs October 18 through 24, 2026, and it is a reminder of how much risk comes with new drivers on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2,320 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver in 2024. Across Encino, the San Fernando Valley, and Los Angeles County, teen drivers share Ventura Boulevard, the 101, and the 405 with everyone else, often with only months of experience behind the wheel. At Big Joe Law, our car accident lawyers represent people hurt by careless drivers of every age. If a teen driver caused your crash, this guide covers who may be responsible, how insurance works when the at-fault driver is a minor, and what you can do to protect your claim.
Can You Sue a Minor for a Car Accident in California?
You can sue a minor for a car accident in California. Minors are held to the same standard of care as adult drivers once they get behind the wheel. A teen who speeds, texts, runs a red light, or drives impaired can be found negligent just like any other driver.
Many people hesitate to file a claim against a teenager because they worry about going after a child or assume a minor cannot be sued. In practice, a car accident claim against a teen driver is almost always paid through insurance, not out of the teen’s own pocket. The lawsuit names the teen because the teen caused the crash, but the goal is to reach the insurance coverage and other responsible parties that stand behind that driver.
Because a minor cannot manage a lawsuit alone, the court appoints an adult, usually a parent, to act on the teen’s behalf during the case. That process does not stop you from bringing your claim.
Are Parents Responsible When Their Teen Causes a Car Accident in California?
Parents are often responsible when their teen causes a car accident in California. When a parent or guardian signs a minor’s driver’s license application, they accept financial responsibility for the teen’s driving. Parents who own the car or let an unsafe teen drive may face added responsibility.
There are several ways a parent or other adult can end up responsible for a teen driver’s crash:
- Signing the license application. The California DMV requires a parent or guardian to sign the application for anyone under 18 and to accept financial responsibility for the teen’s driving. State law caps how much a parent can owe under this rule, so other sources of recovery often matter too.
- Owning the car. A vehicle owner who gives someone permission to drive can be responsible for that driver’s negligence, also up to limits set by state law.
- Negligent entrustment. A parent who hands the keys to a teen they know is reckless, unlicensed, impaired, or has a history of crashes may be directly responsible for their own careless choice, and this claim is not limited the same way.
- Family auto insurance. Teens are usually listed on a parent’s policy, which is often the main source of payment for your damages.
Whose Insurance Pays When a Teen Driver Causes a Crash?
When a teen driver causes a crash, the auto policy covering the car the teen was driving usually pays first. That is often a parent’s policy. If that coverage is not enough, other policies, such as an umbrella policy or your own underinsured motorist coverage, may help cover the rest.
Serious injuries can quickly outpace the minimum insurance limits many families carry. Our car accident lawyers look for every available source of coverage, including:
- The liability policy on the vehicle the teen was driving
- The teen’s own policy, if the teen has one
- The parents’ auto policies on other household vehicles
- Umbrella or excess liability policies held by the family
- An employer’s policy, if the teen was driving for work, such as making deliveries
- Your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
- Your own medical payments coverage
Why Are Teen Drivers More Likely to Cause Car Accidents?
Teen drivers are more likely to cause car accidents because of inexperience, speeding, distraction, driving with teen passengers, and driving at night. NHTSA reports that speeding was a factor for 33 percent of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2024.
New drivers are still learning to judge speed, spot hazards, and react quickly. National data from NHTSA shows the risks teen drivers face most often:
- Speeding. Speed played a role for one in three teen drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2024.
- Drinking and driving. In 2024, 22 percent of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking, even though they were too young to drink legally.
- Distraction. Texting while driving raises crash risk sharply, and phones remain a constant pull for young drivers.
- Teen passengers. Teens are two and a half times more likely to take risks behind the wheel with one teenage passenger than when driving alone.
- No seat belt. About half of teen drivers killed in 2024 were not buckled up.
- Drowsy driving. Early school start times, jobs, and late nights leave many teens driving tired.
What California Driving Rules Apply to Teen Drivers?
California places extra limits on drivers under 18 during their first year with a license. Teens generally cannot drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. or carry passengers under 20 without a licensed adult age 25 or older in the car. Drivers under 18 also cannot use a cell phone while driving, even hands free.
These rules exist because the first months of driving carry the highest crash risk. There are limited exceptions for medical needs, school, work, and transporting immediate family, each requiring a signed note. When a teen driver breaks one of these rules and causes a crash, the violation can be strong evidence that the teen was not driving with reasonable care. It may also raise questions about whether a parent knew the teen was breaking the rules and allowed it anyway.
What Evidence Helps Prove a Teen Driver Caused Your Crash?
Evidence that helps prove a teen driver caused your crash includes the police report, photos and video of the scene, witness statements, vehicle damage, and phone records showing texting or calls at the time of the collision. Social media posts and app data can also shed light on what the teen was doing.
Insurance companies sometimes try to minimize what happened because the at-fault driver is young. Strong evidence keeps the focus on the teen’s conduct. Evidence our team works to secure includes:
- The traffic collision report and any citations issued
- Photos and video from the scene, nearby businesses, and dashcams
- Names and statements from witnesses
- Cell phone records that may show texting, calling, or app use
- Vehicle event data showing speed and braking before the crash
- Social media posts made before or after the crash
- Information about the time of day and passengers in the car, which may show a violation of provisional license limits
What If You Were Partly at Fault for a Crash With a Teen Driver?
If you were partly at fault for a crash with a teen driver, you may still recover damages under California’s pure comparative fault rule. Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, but a partial share of blame does not bar your claim.
Insurance adjusters may argue you were speeding, distracted, or should have avoided the collision. These arguments are often used to shift blame away from an inexperienced driver and reduce what the carrier pays. Our car accident lawyers gather the evidence needed to push back and show what really caused the crash.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Teen Driver Accident?
After a teen driver accident, you may be able to recover past and future medical expenses, past and future lost earnings and earning capacity, past and future pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and property damage. Families who lose a loved one may bring a wrongful death claim.
Categories of damages a jury can consider include:
- Emergency care, hospital stays, surgery, and rehabilitation
- Future medical care and therapy
- Lost wages and reduced ability to earn in the future
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Vehicle repair or replacement
- Wrongful death damages for surviving family members
The value of a claim depends on factors like the severity and permanence of your injuries, the strength of the liability evidence, the insurance coverage available, and how the injury has changed your work and daily life. California sets deadlines for filing a personal injury claim, so it helps to speak with a car accident lawyer soon after the crash.
What Should You Do After a Teen Driver Hits You in Encino?
After a teen driver hits you in Encino, call 911, get medical care, and collect the driver’s information, including the parent’s name and insurance details. Photograph the scene, get witness names, and talk to a car accident lawyer before giving a recorded statement to the insurer.
Teen drivers may be scared or may call a parent to the scene, and it is easy for details to get lost. Steps that help protect your claim include:
- Calling the police so there is an official report
- Getting the teen’s name, license, and plate number, plus the name of the vehicle owner and the insurance company
- Noting how many passengers were in the teen’s car and the time of the crash
- Taking photos of all vehicles, the scene, and your injuries
- Collecting names and numbers of witnesses
- Getting medical care the same day and following every treatment plan
- Keeping all bills, records, and proof of missed work
How Can an Encino Car Accident Lawyer Help Maximize My Compensation?
An Encino car accident lawyer can identify every responsible party behind a teen driver, including parents, vehicle owners, and employers, find every source of insurance, preserve evidence like phone records, document your full losses, and prepare your case for trial from the start.
At Big Joe Law, our personal injury lawyers build every car accident case as if a jury will hear it. When a teen driver causes a crash, that means:
- Looking past the teen driver to the parents, vehicle owner, and any employer who may share responsibility
- Tracking down every policy, including household vehicle policies, umbrella policies, and your own underinsured motorist coverage
- Preserving evidence early, including phone records, vehicle data, and surveillance footage
- Investigating license restrictions to see whether the teen was driving late at night or with passengers in violation of the rules
- Working with accident reconstruction engineers and treating physicians to show how the crash happened and what it cost you
- Handling the insurance companies so you can focus on healing
- Preparing for trial from the first conference, because a case ready for a jury is a case the other side has to take seriously
Were You Hurt by a Teen Driver in Encino?
If a teen driver injured you or took the life of someone you love, talk to our car accident lawyers at Big Joe Law. Our team will listen to what happened, look at every source of coverage, and explain the options that may be available to you. Consultations are free, and there are no attorney’s fees unless we win. Reach out today to start protecting your rights.
Sources
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Teen Driving
- California DMV, California Driver Handbook: Getting an Instruction Permit and Driver’s License
- NHTSA Traffic Safety Marketing, Teen Driver Safety