Wreck responsibility
Question
Last night, after a night of drinking, my mate suggested we take his parents' car out for a spin. We did, and crashed the car. The driver's been taken to the cells but those of us who weren't driving got away. Have we committed a crime, even though we weren't driving?
Answer
Obviously, the driver of the vehicle has broken the law by driving under the influence of alcohol, regardless of whether or not he was too drunk to know what he was doing.
Leaving the scene of an accident and knowingly travelling in a car which has been taken without the owner's consent are also criminal offences. If the police are able to trace you, they could prosecute.
Because of this, it's important you seek specialist legal advice from a local solicitor dealing in criminal law.
Updated: 22/01/2009
Question answered by CAB
