Manc

It would be interesting to find out if the Insurance pays out.

I know State Farm policies do not cover racing your car on a track or off public highway.

they may be no coverage at all in this case if it is just a regular auto policy.

dbj1000

While I agree with Manc's point to a degree...

...wouldn't the parents of the 4 passengers who died have a case to sue the owner of the car, if they could prove (or attempt to prove) that he knowingly allowed his son to drive his car while intoxicated, or provided him and his under-drinking-age friends with alcohol?

anotherlimey

Certainly it seems like he was going quite a speed in this instance, seeing as he managed to jump 85 feet and hit a tree 15 feet above the ground.

I doubt he would have been showing off the speed of his dad's Focus.

I went to school with two kids who had souped up XR3is (the boy racer's choice), one killed himself and the other killed his best friend slamming them into trees; which is one of the reasons car insurance in the UK is much more expensive for under 25s with powerful cars, in fact some cars you just can't get insurance on for people under 25.

ETA: From http://www.wsbtv.com/automotive/14903891/detail.html

"Avoid high-performance sports cars -- the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's statistics show that younger drivers are more likely to be in a speed-related crash in such vehicles. The teen driver needs some power for safe passing and merging, but they don't need a sports car to do it."

Tarkak9

Probably too subjective with regards of proof of evidence. I think vicarious liability can only go so far; besides, where do you stop? Bottom line is that you can't control the actions of another person (esp. one who is over the legal adult) - I may give someone a yellow pages but I can't stop them from calling people from the use of the yellow pages even if they are making obscene, harassing phone calls. (just an analogy and an opinion.)

The whole thing reminds me of a local story a year or two ago where 2 boys got a flat tire during white out conditions, pulled over (not all the way off to the side of the road) and while removing the spare tire, they were accidently struck by another vehicle..... pinned at the end of their vehicle; they both lost their legs. They were returning from a school event, it surfaced that they had been drinking underage. Families tried to sue the family of the driver, it was eventually thrown out of court; so the families of the 2 boys are trying to sue the manufacturer of the SUV (Isuzu) claiming design flaw that hazard lights are obscured when the vehicles' tail gate is opened.

ironporer

The day you do not contribute to the act (loaning a car to an irresponsible party in this case) No Daddy's car, no wreck. Had it been a 45 year old friend, you would still be party to the lawsuit for your judgement in loaning it.

carpediem3

Hello everyone. As far as the accident that took the lives of these young men it goes to bad, very bad choices all around. For starters I live in Ocala, FL. and knew some of the young men and two I taught at thier High School. For the post that keeps stating he was an adult well technically no. The law says that if he is under 21 and living at home and his parents are legally responsible for the child's actions. The next mis- information is that it was not his father's car it was registered to Santo Ammirato, but he bought that BMW for Joshua his son three weeks ago. Yes his father should be sued for lack of judgement all around. His son's lack of driving experience and all the speeding tickets in under two years. What was his father thinking. The father's own brother told him not to get Joshua that car, well now we know why. This is a perfect example of parents not knowing when to say no! Mr Ammirato Sr should just as well given his son a loaded gun and told him to go play russian rulette. The sad thing in all this is the other four young men also lost. It will also be interesting to see what the toxicology report says. Because the next ones that should have their pants sued off them is the parents that threw the party that night, which by the way the rumor with all the kids that were there is that, yes there was alcohol served, HUM!!!!:curse:

Bob

Even if the law is 21, your still an adult at 18...and so what if booze was served, it's usually found in most parties, that doesn't mean that it is anyone else's responsibility but the person who chooses to drink and drive and those willing to get into that car.

It sucks when shit like this happens, but it's down to personal responsibility at the end of the day.

carpediem3

Look Bob it sounds to me that you are probably one of those who would serve a minor alcohol and hope they use good judgement, but minors DON'T! Bob unless you've work in a field where you saw the aftermath of young kids drinking and driving and had to pick up the body parts left behind don't speak. You just make yourself come across as a moron. Have you ever lost a love one to an underage drinker or any drunk idiot? maybe if you'd had you would see things differently. I live everyday with the images of people killed by young drivers I hope in your life time you don't have to see 1% of what I've seen.

Bob

Well coming from a country where legal drinking age is 18, don't see any trouble with it.

And as it happens, my brother was killed by a drunk driver.

This is a completely different situation. Being pissed up and on a track is different to ploughing through a bunch of people at a car park.

basementwaj

i dont buy the crap about not being an adult until 21. What ever happend to being responsible for your own actions..
so in this country you can
drive at 15/16
vote at 18
have sex at 18
go to war at 18
smoke at 18
but because this kid caused an accident at 18 and was drinking underaged, its the parents fault????? thats ridiculous!
Even the Presidents daughters were drinking underaged....... does that make him irresposible??
great, that means we have someone irresponsible running the country... next thing you know we will be fighting an illegal war based on lies!