Washington requires every driver on the road to have a valid, current driver’s license and at least the minimum required auto insurance. Still, unlicensed drivers in Washington were involved in an alarming 546 traffic fatalities in a single recent year. Approximately three out of four drivers were operating a vehicle while their license was suspended—typically the result of repeated traffic violations or impaired driving.
Whether you are the victim of an accident involving a driver without a license in Washington, or you or someone driving your car was an unlicensed driver involved in an accident, it’s important to know how driving without a license affects an accident claim. Make sure to speak to an experienced car accident lawyer in Marysville for legal guidance.
An Unlicensed Driver Caused My Car Accident In Washington
If you suffered an injury in a car accident caused by a driver without a valid driver’s license, this could have a significant impact on your ability to recover compensation under the state’s fault-based accident laws. If the driver has insurance, you may still file a claim against their auto insurance, but many insurance company contracts allow the company to deny claims when the policyholder was driving without a valid license.
In many cases, a driver who lacks a license also lacks insurance coverage. Under these circumstances, as an injury victim harmed by the unlicensed, uninsured driver, you could recover compensation by filing a claim against your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage if you chose to keep this important coverage. Washington’s law requires all insurance providers to include this coverage, but drivers may decline it by signing a waiver.
If you declined the uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, it may still be possible to recover compensation through a third-party claim if another entity contributed to the accident, such as a negligent road-planning agency or road maintenance contractor.
I Was Driving Without a License and Was Involved In an Accident
If you were driving without a valid license and caused a car accident in Washington, you could be facing criminal penalties as well as liability for the accident. Driving without a license is a misdemeanor crime under RCW 46.20.005, with increasing penalties for causing injury or death. If you have valid auto insurance, your insurance may cover the injury victim’s claims, but there is a high probability that they will deny the claim based on your lack of a license, which often voids the contract. In this case, you could be held personally liable for paying the injury victim to compensate them for their accident-related damages.
In Washington, the driver at fault for the accident is liable for the damages, so if you did not cause the accident, you could still recover compensation in a claim against the other driver’s insurance and recover compensation despite your unlicensed status; however, you are likely still to face criminal penalties and further license suspension or revocation.
What If Someone Else Drove My Car Without a License and Was Involved In a Car Accident In Washington?
It’s crucial to always check if someone has a valid driver’s license before letting them drive your car; however, you may not always have control over who takes your car. If a person drove your car without a license and caused an accident, you could be facing liability for the damages they caused to the accident victim. Worse, it’s likely that your auto insurance will deny the injury victim’s claim based on the driver’s lack of a license, leaving you personally liable for damages out of pocket. You could also face significant fines and penalties for allowing someone to drive your vehicle without a license. If they caused injury or death, you could also face criminal charges.
If an unlicensed driver was in an accident while driving your car, but did not cause the accident, the at-fault driver is liable for the damages. Still, you could face fines and penalties based on the driver’s unlicensed status while operating your vehicle. It’s essential to obtain legal counsel through an experienced Marysville personal injury lawyer after an accident involving an unlicensed driver.