BellaOnline Forums News and Politics Crime TeenageDrinking/ParentalResponsibi lity

When, Parents allow their minor Teenage children
To have parties, which involves liquor.
IF one of the teenagers would happen to be in a
FATAL CAR ACCIDENT, on the way home,
SHOULD the HOSTING PARENTS also be LIABLE for this?

Vicki Crime Editor

Are The Parents Liable multiple choice, up to 1 choices

Yes (80%, 12 Votes)

No (20%, 3 Votes)

Total Votes: 15 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

The way I see it, the parents are already criminally negligent (if not more) for serving minors alcohol to begin with!

However, in the case of a teenager holding a party when the parent is out of the house for a date, and the parent is not aware of it - then, no I don't think the parent's are responsible - they didn't know.

The ground becomes a little more murky when a parent leaves a teen at home alone for longer periods of time, however. I know it is not the "cool" thing to have a babysitter for your teen, but as a parent, if you are going to be gone for a week, then there should be someone keeping an eye on your child! That's where I think the negligence comes into play. But to hold them criminally responsible? I'm not sure about that - it's a very grey area. (BTW - my 14 yr olds still gets angry with me because I won't let him stay home alone.)

Yes! Parents who tolerate underage drinking with the caveat that they do it at home are negligent parents anyway. It's a stupid idea for many reasons. Teaching your children to break the law in any fashion is bad parenting.

If parents permit teenagers to drink in their home, they should be prosecuted just as a bar or retail store would be for serving/selling alcohol to minors. And, if a fatal accident results, they are guilty of criminially negligent homicide or whatever statute may apply.

And, Michelle, my kids didn't get to stay home alone overnight until they were like 17 or 18 and then not much. It had nothing to do with trusting them - too many bad things can happen that they just aren't ready to deal with - fires, break-ins, busted water heaters, and yes, friends who think absent parents mean party time. I don't know the "law" about age for leaving kids alone overnight or longer, but I do think parents have a duty here--the whole idea behind parenting is that you care for them until they can care for themselves and I think that means responsible decision-making as well as food & shelter.

I know we can't watch them 24/7 nor should we, but staying up until they come home gives you the opportunity to see if they've been drinking & if they are late! Yeah, I believe in curfews, too and evidently nobody else does--my poor kids were the only ones who had curfews--LOL! I think too many parents are afraid of making their kids mad.

I agree, I also think too many parents are getting confused about what their role is; they are too busy trying to be "buddies" with their children and are forgetting about the "parenting" part. It's a tough line to draw, we all want our kids to be happy and "like" us, we want to be seen as the "good guys". But it is so much more important that our children respect us and love us and are happy and secure and grow up to be well-functioning adults. If we teach our kids now that they can get away with breaking anyrules they want, what are they going to try when they are on their own. If they don't respect their authority figures now (parents, teachers, etc.) how are they going to manage a job?

I saw a Dr. Phil one time, a teen had been in trouble for drinking and driving, in fact he had totalled his car- so his parents got him a new car with a breathalizer lock on it. If his blood alcohol level was over (whatever, it was below the legal limit for DUI) then it wouldn't unlock the car for him. Dr. Phil sat their with his jaw hanging open and asked the exact same question I was thinking. "WHAT?!?!?!"

Your underage kid wrecks his car while driving drunk, so you go buy him another one? Forget that! That boy can ride the bus for the rest of High School, and take public transit to a Community College or live on campus if he gets a scholarship to a university. There ain't no way I'd be gettin' that boy another car of his own, he'd never be on my insurance again! His dad was just like, "Well, boys will be boys."

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Amen! That's it exactly - parents are afraid to parent. I bet that boy had the car almost 15 minutes before figuring out how to get someone else to breathe in the "lock" so he could be a "boy". They'll be back on the show talking about how unfair drunk driving laws are next.

I just casted my vote - Yes!
Hosting Parents have a responsibility to keep a watch and
a eye out, as to what is happening within their home.

Too, many parents, now want to be their children's bestfriends.
They needs parents - they can get bestfriends at school etc.

I, also watch Dr. Phil I'm sure his mouth fell open when the
parents went out and bought a new car with that gadget on it.
"I wonder how that is working for them?"

Pinklillies <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />