What to do if you have a new teenaged driver
Your teenaged child has achieved the milestone of getting his or her driver license. Mazel tov! As a parent of a newly-licensed driver, you might have questions about what needs to be done. Here are a few pointers based on experience, and based on calls my office has received over the years as a Los Angeles personal injury attorney.
Learn the rules. Your son or daughter may have passed all the applicable DMV tests. As a parent, you should familiarize yourself with the rules, especially as they pertain to new drivers. California law has restrictions in place for new drivers, including the curfew rule and transporting other minors in the vehicle. These are important safety rules, and you can learn more about them here.
Insurance, Insurance, Insurance. This is perhaps the most overlooked issue in my experience. Do not assume that once your child turns 16 and gets his or her license, he or she will be automatically added to your existing car insurance. You must DISCLOSE to your auto insurance carrier all drivers who live in the residence where the car is registered who are of driveable age, even if that child does not yet have his or her license. Once the child gets a license, he or she must be manually added to the insurance policy.
The best way to do this is to call the insurance company, notify them that you have a new driver, follow up with an email, and obtain written confirmation from the carrier that your child has been added to the insurance policy. I cannot tell you how many times I have handled calls from frantic parents who have overlooked this issue only to deal with the aftermath of a car accident and the potential lack of coverage for a child who was not properly added to the auto insurance policy.
As a side note, we all know that auto insurance for a new driver is expensive. Some parents prefer to purchase separate policies for their teenaged child if that child has his or her own car. If that’s the case and the parents have a separate auto policy for their cars, the parents’ auto insurance carrier might insist on excluding the child from coverage on the parents’ car(s). Beware—-if your child is an excluded driver on your policy, that means exactly what it sounds like. If your child is in an accident using your car while being an excluded driver, he or she will likely not be covered. This situation has tripped up many people. Stay informed!
Review your coverage limits. Here is a common scenario. Mom and dad have an older car that is insured with minimal liability limits. Perhaps the policy was purchased even before their child was born. Now their child is driving and is in an accident with mom and dad’s car. Not a good time to say “I need more insurance coverage” is it? California’s minimal insurance limits, for the time being, are $15,000. They are going to change in 2025, but many argue that those limits will still not be enough. It’s a good idea to periodically review your coverage limits. When your teenaged driver starts driving is another opportunity to do the same. And be sure to maintain uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage too.
Wishing success and safety to all teenaged drivers! If you or someone you know has questions about a Los Angeles car accident, my office is ready to assist, 24/6.
