Teen Driver Accidents in Pennsylvania: What Parents Need to Know

Few calls are harder for a parent than hearing that their teenager has been in a crash. Once everyone is safe, the questions come fast. Are we responsible? Will our insurance cover it? What if our child was the one who got hurt? Here's how these situations usually work in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania's rules for new drivers

Pennsylvania uses a graduated licensing system. A teen with a learner's permit must drive with a licensed adult and complete 65 hours of supervised driving, including 10 at night and 5 in bad weather, and hold the permit for at least six months. With a junior license, a teen generally can't drive unsupervised between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., with exceptions for work and certain volunteer activities. Passenger limits also apply: for the first six months, only one passenger under 18 who isn't a family member, unless a parent or guardian is in the car. Learn more from PennDOT's young driver page.

If a teen was breaking one of these rules when a crash happened, it doesn't automatically decide who was at fault. But it can come up when fault and insurance are being sorted out.

If your teen caused the crash

Insurance comes first. In most cases, a teen who lives with you and is listed on your policy, or who is driving a family car with permission, is covered by your auto liability insurance. That coverage is what typically pays the other people's injuries and damage, and the insurer will usually provide a lawyer if anyone sues. Report the crash to your insurer promptly, even if it seems minor.

Can parents be personally responsible? In Pennsylvania, parents usually aren't automatically liable just because their child was driving. But a parent can face a claim in some situations, for example, letting a teen drive when the parent knew they weren't ready, didn't have a license, or had a history of reckless driving. When claims get larger than the policy limits, these questions start to matter a great deal, so talk to someone before you give a statement.

• Don't apologize or discuss fault at the scene. See Should You Apologize at the Scene?

• Be careful with recorded statements, including to your own insurer. See Recorded Statements to Your Own Insurance Company.

• Have your teen stay off social media about the crash. See Social Media and Surveillance.

If your teen was hurt

Teen drivers and passengers who are injured have the same rights as anyone else, plus a few protections that apply to minors:

• Your auto policy's medical benefits generally pay first, even if your teen was a passenger in a friend's car. See Who Pays Your Medical Bills?

• If your teen was a passenger, the driver's fault generally isn't held against them. See Injured as a Passenger.

• Your child's own deadline to file usually doesn't start until their 18th birthday, but a parent's claim for medical bills usually stays on the regular two-year clock. Our Injury Deadline Calculator can show you both dates.

• Any settlement for someone under 18 has to be approved by a judge. See When Your Child Is Hurt in an Accident.

When both are true

Sometimes a teen is partly at fault and also hurt. Pennsylvania's comparative negligence rule can still allow a recovery, reduced by their share of fault, as long as they were not more at fault than the other side. See "They Say It Was My Fault".

Helpful steps for parents right after a crash

• Make sure your teen gets checked by a doctor. Teens often say they're fine when they aren't. See Delayed Symptoms After an Accident.

• Get the police report number and the other driver's information. See How to Get a Crash Report.

• Take photos of the vehicles and the scene, and save any dashcam or phone footage.

• Use our After-Accident Checklist to keep track of everything.

Talk it through with someone local. Whether your teen caused a crash or was hurt in one, the attorneys at Joyce, Carmody & Moran can explain where you stand and what to do next. Request a free consultation.

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