Responsibility Of Car Owner When Lending

[Krit]

I own a car together with a Thai owner. It has 1st class insurance which is for all drivers, eg. no named drivers. I think everything should be OK when the insurance and taxes etc are paid and the driver has a valid Thai or international license and is not under influence - eg. the insurance is valid.

However, I'm wondering what is my responsibility as co-owner in case the car is driven by someone who has no valid license or has downed a bottle of Mekong whisky? Or if somebody will simply drive to a speed camera with my car?

For example my European friends would like to try the car but they mostly don't have an international license. Also there's always the possibility of "uncle Somchai" borrowing the car without me even knowing, even though I try my best to prevent this.

I can well bear the risk of somebody wrecking my BMW and not getting any insurance money myself. But I'm not sure if I am myself ultimately responsible for all possible damages and spending the rest of my life in jail in case something more horrible than this happens.

So, what is the owner's responsibility for a car he is not driving?

[guzzi850m2]

It is your responsibility to check that other persons beside your co owner has a valid drivers license, but when you have a co owner that will complicate matters.

As you said your A-class insurance are for all drivers, so if they kill somebody in your car, they will face the music but should be covered when having a valid drivers license and not over the legal alcohol limit.

If I was you I would go to the insurance company and ask what will happen, as an example: a driver of your car kills 2 persons on a bike, total your car and getting killed himself in the process, then what??

[powderpuff]

I would tell the co-owner "if you lend the car without my consent we will have to sell it". Be ready to sell it. Let your partner buy you out. Or flog it.

[stingray]

I would tell the co-owner "if you lend the car without my consent we will have to sell it". Be ready to sell it. Let your partner buy you out. Or flog it.

As presen owner you are responsable in any matter, unless the car get stolen. To protect your self you need a police report.

Even in case of unpaid traffic ticked. Not the driver, only the owner is responsable. If you not pay the traffic tickets, next year the transpo office wil not renew your roadtax. Doesn't matter who drive the car. Similar problem in the US. When you buy a cheap used car overthere, sometime there is a higher amount of open traffic tickets, than the car is worth. So the new owner have to pay them. Stupid law, but it is like this.

[thunder30101]

Traffic tickets in the us are not on the car, its your drivers license that is used for identification. Dont pay your tickets ? The next time you get stopped you go to jail. Dont know where you get your idea about this from.

[stingray]

Traffic tickets in the us are not on the car, its your drivers license that is used for identification. Dont pay your tickets ? The next time you get stopped you go to jail. Dont know where you get your idea about this from.

It's not correct i bought a "Cadi" 6 years ago in Honolulu, Hawaii and i had to pay the tickets from the last owner, because they was unpaid. Could not find last owner anymore. The cady was 2'k the tickets was almost the same amount. Maibe doffewrent states works different ways, i don't know. I also was never beable to make a DL in Hawaii (asd a foreigner i had no SS number), but some other say in Florida they can, who knows.

[powderpuff]

No you're right stingray.

The ticket goes to the plate on the car. They don't care who is driving it. At a certain point they boot the car - then tow it.

Thunder he said "PARKING TICKETS".

[thunder30101]

Well being an american with 35 years being licensed there I can tell you wherever I have lived there are no tickets issued to cars lol. Only to the license of the driver.

[bino]

Well being an american with 35 years being licensed there I can tell you wherever I have lived there are no tickets issued to cars lol. Only to the license of the driver.

Stingray is correct. If the car is PARKED- IE: no driver present, how do they identify you / get your license information?

"Moving violations" are a different matter - applied to your drivers license because you are there in the driver's seat.

To the OP - I would verify with your insurance company that they will accept an International license. Not all of them do. Alternatively, you could use this as an excuse for your visitors that you don't want using the car- tell them they need to have a Thai driver's license.