Parents can sometimes be held liable for personal injury caused by children
Authorities have been cracking down on parents who let their children drink and drive, according to a CNN story.
Many states allow parents to serve their own children small amounts of alcohol without penalty. Whether it be for religious reasons or simply a dad allowing his son to taste a beer, state laws rarely overrule the parents on this issue.
Where this becomes a problem is when the parents don’t show any restraint and are negligent in the amount of alcohol they allow a child to consume. Allowing a child to become intoxicated is grounds for child abuse in many cases, and a parent may be found criminally negligent if the child is allowed to drink and drive with the parent’s knowledge.
Missouri has some of the more lenient alcohol laws in the country. Social host laws, where the server of alcohol may be held partially responsible for the actions of those being served, don’t find as much traction here as in other states.
That being the case, a parent may find himself facing charges or a personal injury lawsuit if he allows his child to drink and drive.
Advocacy groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving point to Missouri’s leniency regarding alcohol when discussing the number of alcohol related traffic deaths in the state. Missouri has some of the highest rates of drunk driving deaths in the country with more than 500 fatalities a year.
Since the laws in every state vary so radically on alcohol consumption, if you are injured by a drunk driver it is important to consult a personal injury lawyer with many years experience with your particular state’s laws.
