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Can parents be held responsible for their child’s drunk driving crash?

In New York State, the age an individual must be to legally purchase or consume alcohol is 21. That being said, many people under the age of 21 do drink alcohol and sometimes, they do so with the permission of their parents. However, just because an individual under the age of 21 has permission from their parents to consume alcoholic beverages, doesn’t mean they are legally allowed to by the state of New York.

Another important thing that parents need to be aware of is that they can be held legally responsible if their child drives under the influence of alcohol. This is the case even if the parent was not aware that their child was drinking alcohol. If the underage driver causes property damage or another person to become injured or killed, the parents can be held liable under New York State law.

This is also true in other situations that do not involve an underage driver. If an individual hosts an event where they serve alcohol to guests and one of the guests gets into a drunk driving accident afterward, the host can be responsible by law.

If you have questions about the DWI laws in New York, contact us today.

Kevin T. Conway has over 30 years of experience as a Spring Valley criminal attorney handling DUI, DWI, traffic violations, violent crimes, sex crimes, illegal gun possession, shoplifting, and juvenile crimes. Attorney Conway is also experienced in commercial law matters, zoning law, and estate planning. If you need a Rockland County criminal lawyer, contact our Spring Valley office for a free consultation.

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