Friend totaled my truck.

I'm from Wisconsin and I'm 16 years old. Last Thursday, I went to a friends house for a party. I was on my second beer and a kid I somewhat know comes up to me and asks to use my keys to go pick up his girlfriend in town. I said sure, simply because he didn't seem that drunk to me and to be quite honest, driving a little intoxicated in Wisconsin isn't that hard. So he comes back with my whole passenger side of my s10 truck totaled, meaning he totaled a parked 2002 Malibu Maxx as well. I drove it home and told my parents, whom called the police and got the report filed.

Now, so far, I know he's getting charges for leaving a scene of an accident and DUI. But he's 18 years old and doesn't have insurance so we can't go after his parents to pay for this. I have Liabiliity insurance but no Collision (since it was an old pickup), but does this go on my insurance just because it was my truck? Shouldn't he be responsible for the totaled parked car and mine, since he was driving it?

I know this was a idiotic decision, and I know that some of this is my fault for letting him drive without seeing if he had been drinking, but still.

You'll have to sue him. Your insurance generally won't change because of the accident. For chargeability, accidents follow the driver.

Oh yeah, my dad is the original one who is listed under the truck as primary driver. He was telling me yesterday that if we had to sue, it may be possible to report it as he stole it, since it isn't really my truck but I gave him permission? Thoughts on this?

I really don't want to sue him, but I guess I need another vehicle more than a friendship.

What responsibility are YOU taking in the situation? You gave him permission to drive someone else's vehicle. YOU were drinking illegally. Apparently, he was also. Are you willing to say that he stole the vehicle from you?

I see your point. I'm not trying to get out of this scotch free, I know that I messed up too by letting him drive a vehicle that's technically not even mine. To be quite honest, I think this situation is about 20% my fault and about 80% percent his.

korrupt420 said:

He was telling me yesterday that if we had to sue, it may be possible to report it as he stole it, since it isn't really my truck but I gave him permission? Thoughts on this?

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Yep, it's called permissive liability. You had control over the vehicle and gave someone else permission to drive it. The police will not take a stolen vehicle report, it was not stolen.

You gave a drunk person the keys to someone else's car, without their permission. It would seem to me (obviously, this is only my opinion) that you are more than 20% responsible for what happens when they drive the vehicle.

Now you should also learn why 16 and 18 year olds shouldn't drink, think, or drive.

simply because he didn't seem that drunk **he was 18!**to me and to be quite honest, driving a little intoxicated in Wisconsin isn't that hard.**WTF?**

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That is one of the craziest statements that I've ever seen.

korrupt420 said:

I said sure, simply because he didn't seem that drunk to me and to be quite honest, driving a little intoxicated in Wisconsin isn't that hard.

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Driving a little intoxicated is a crime and puts other motorists at risk. How would you feel about killing a stranger because it "wasn't too hard to drive while intoxicated"? You are as inexperienced as they get and so is your friend. You haven't been driving long enough to even have a clue. (hint- that's why your insurance rates are so high) Alcohol and inexperience will get innocent people killed.
Wake up. It is never O.K. to drive while even slightly impaired.