Springer-Lyle News Updates

latest legal news from the law firm of Springer-Lyle

1807 Westminster
Denton, TX 76205

940.387.0404

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Firm Overview
    • Attorney Profiles
  • Areas of Practice
  • Articles and Cases
  • What’s In the News
  • Resources
  • Videos
    • Who is Springer-Lyle?
    • FAQ Videos
      • FAQs on Business Litigation
      • FAQs on Healthcare, Medical & Pharmaceutical Cases
      • FAQs on Personal Injury, Automobile & Trucking Accidents
      • FAQs on Alternative Dispute Resolution
      • FAQs on Probate Cases
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Blog Articles / Featured / Can A Passenger Be Liable for A Car Accident?

Can A Passenger Be Liable for A Car Accident?

May 12, 2021 By Staff - s.r. Leave a Comment

passenger injured

A passenger in a car that has collided with another vehicle may be, in rare cases, held responsible for a car accident. Our Denton attorneys at Springer & Lyle will help you understand when a passenger may be responsible for a car accident and when you may be able to collect damages from a passenger.

Circumstances in Which a Passenger May be Responsible for a Car Accident

In general, only a driver of a vehicle can be held responsible for a car accident. Rare times when a passenger may be liable include the following circumstances.

Passenger grabs the steering wheel. In the rare instance that a passenger puts his or her hands on the steering wheel of the car while the car is moving, that passenger becomes a driver. If a crash occurs due to the passenger becoming the driver, that passenger/driver can be held liable for damages resulting from that action in the same manner as a driver.

Passenger steps on the gas pedal. Another rare instance may be if the passenger reaches his or her leg over and slams down on the gas pedal. The passenger has taken control of the vehicle, has become a driver, and may then be held liable for any damages that occur as a result.

Passenger punches driver in the face. This is quite rare. In one case in Massachusetts, a passenger punched a bus driver in the face, causing the driver to black out and hit another car. Sixteen people were injured. The passenger’s actions were captured on videocam, and he was held criminally responsible for the damages that occurred. If this happened in Texas, he could also be liable in a civil case; however, automobile insurance coverage would probably not cover the claim due to a policy exclusion regarding criminal activity. 

Passenger encourages driver to speed. In California, a young woman urged her boyfriend driver to drive at an excessive speed in an area where she told him if he drove fast enough over dips in the road, the car would become airborne. The driver lost control, slammed into a parked car, and killed a father of three who was fastening his child into the car seat in the back seat of the car.

A California court of appeals ruled that the passenger was partially responsible for the accident and therefore could be sued in a civil case for damages for the wrongful death of the father since she interfered with the driver’s control of the vehicle.

If you were injured in any accident, including one where the passenger may be responsible, the personal injury attorneys at Springer & Lyle can help you obtain the reasonable compensation you are entitled for your injuries, lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other physical damage. Contact us at 940-387-0404 for a free consultation.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Accident, liable, Passenger

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Subscribe by email

Have the latest news from Springer-Lyle
sent to your inbox.

Articles of Interest

Honda Worldwide Recall of Sedans, Minivans, SUVs

By Deepa Seetharaman and Bernie Woodall of Reuters. Honda Motor Co Ltd plans to recall nearly 2 1/2 million vehicles: small SUVs, cars and minivans worldwide. This includes the popular Accord sedan. … [Read More…]

Hip Implant Complaints Increase, While Dangers Are Reviewed

By BARRY MEIER and JANET ROBERTS of the New York Times Published: August 22, 2011 The federal government has received a surge in complaints in recent months about failed hip replacements, suggesting … [Read More…]

Tragedy Brought on by Tainted Fruit

By Moni Basu, CNN William Beach was one of those people who fixated on certain foods. He would eat the same thing voraciously for a few days, and then, when he tired of the same tastes, he moved onto … [Read More…]

No Better Care, Thanks to Tort Reform

Published in The Texas Tribune by guest columnist, Charles M. Silver In 2006, Dr. Howard Marcus wrote that Texas’ 2003 tort reform statute sparked an “amazing turnaround” in which doctors came … [Read More…]

Springer & Lyle, LLP

1807 Westminster
Denton, TX 76205

phone: 940.387.0404
toll-free: 855.387.0404
fax: 940.383.7656

Disclaimer
The contents of this website does not imply legal advise or counsel and does not establish an attorney/client relationship. Please contact us for information on our policies regarding any relationship with clients, potential clients, or non-clients of our firm.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

 

 

make a Pament via LawPay

Return To Top of Page

Copyright © 2023 Springer & Lyle, L.L.P. • • • All Rights Reserved

Website Design by The Crouch Group

Log in