South Carolina Accidents Involving Young Motorcyclists

In August 2024, a motorcycle collided with an SUV near Spartanburg.  The driver of the motorcycle died from injuries he sustained in the accident; the driver of the SUV required hospitalization after the accident, but his injuries were not life-threatening.  The driver of the motorcycle was Nicholas Alexander Huntley of Inman.  He was 19 years old.  As of August 11, news sources have not released any other information about the events that led to the collision.  Whenever a motorcycle collides with a passenger vehicle such as a truck or SUV, the consequences are usually disastrous for the motorcyclists.  Young drivers of any vehicle are especially vulnerable because of their lack of experience in avoiding common hazards for motorists.  If you have suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident early in your motorcycle riding career, contact a Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer.

Age Requirements for Riding a Motorcycle in South Carolina

As with cars, you can get a license to operate a motorcycle in South Carolina when you are 16 years old.  In order to get a license, you must first get a beginner’s permit and then go to driver’s ed and practice driving before you take the road test.  The minimum age for getting a beginner’s permit in South Carolina is 15.

South Carolina’s motorcycle helmet laws are among the most lenient in the country.  The law only requires motorcyclists to wear a helmet if they are younger than 21 years old.

Who Is Legally Responsible if a Young Person Gets Injured in a Motorcycle Accident?

Insurance companies use the same criteria when determining fault for a traffic accident, regardless of the age of the drivers and of the injured passengers, if any.  If the injured person is younger than 18, the person’s parents may file a lawsuit against the at fault driver or any other legally responsible parties on his or her behalf.  If the at fault driver is younger than 18, injured people have the right to file a lawsuit against the driver’s parents.  This is because of the doctrine of vicarious liability, which indicates that parents can be legally responsible for injuries and property damage caused by their minor children.  According to vicarious liability laws, the owner of a vehicle can be legally responsible for accidents caused by the vehicle, regardless of who is driving, with some exceptions, such as if the vehicle was stolen.

Except in the case of the most severe injuries, it is usually possible to get enough money to cover your accident-related medical bills and vehicle repairs without filing a lawsuit, simply by hiring a personal injury lawyer to negotiate a satisfactory settlement for you with the insurance company.  Lawsuits are appropriate if the injuries involve medical bills so costly that they exceed the insurance policy limit or if the injuries are so serious that they reduce your lifetime income earning potential.

Let Us Help You Today

The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you if you got injured in an accident where one of the drivers in the accident was under the age of 21.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Sources:

wyff4.com/article/crash-spartanburg-south-carolina-driver-dead/61815049

rider.com/motorcycle-community/motorcycle-licensing/south-carolina-motorcycle-licensing/#:~:text=The%20minimum%20age%20requirement%20to,by%20age%20group%2C%20click%20here.