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Are Adult Children Liable if an Elderly Parent Causes a Crash? Driving is an activity that may become harder for many people as they get older. Drivers may develop medical, physical or mental conditions as they age that make them dangerous drivers. If an elderly parent causes a crash, could an adult child be liable for the damages? Fortunately, most of the time, an adult child will not be held liable if an aging parent causes a crash. A few exceptions might apply, such as if an adult child knew a parent’s medical condition made them an unsafe driver. An adult child could be held liable for letting any unsafe driver, including an aging parent, drive his or her car. In that situation, a crash victim could have a valid claim against the adult child’s insurance company. It is important to recognize that the risk of being involved in a crash becomes greater for individuals as they age. Those who are 85 and older have the highest risk. Many factors could affect a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely. The most common factors include general health, genetics and the onset of certain medical conditions, such as arthritis or dementia. When an elderly parent becomes an unsafe driver because of conditions related to aging, it may be time to do something about it. Having a discussion with your elderly parent about giving up driving is difficult but handling it with sensitivity can help.