Laws on Accidents in TN, explanation to my question (car insurance, purchase)

[Rhiannonfoster86]

My boyfriend got into an accident with his brother's car and didn't know his brother did not have registration or insurance. So of course, he had to go to court for the whole mess. So the judge told him that he had to provide insurance, either private or some other car insurance. So I put him on my insurance since we share a vehicle anyways, he might as well be on it. When he went back to court today to show proof of insurance, the judge was mad that he didn't get insurance for the car he wrecked, but when he told the judge that the car went to a junkyard, he was quite upset. He gave my boyfriend a $200 fine. We are from Maine, so I guess I am unsure of the laws that occur in TN, but to me this makes no sense. Why would you insure a vehicle that 1) isn't yours and 2) went to a junkyard? If anyone can help, it would be greatly appreciated because to me this sounds really ridiculous, but it may be the law, however I do not know.

[Ridgerunner]

Originally Posted by Rhiannonfoster86

My boyfriend got into an accident with his brother's car and didn't know his brother did not have registration or insurance. So of course, he had to go to court for the whole mess. So the judge told him that he had to provide insurance, either private or some other car insurance. So I put him on my insurance since we share a vehicle anyways, he might as well be on it. When he went back to court today to show proof of insurance, the judge was mad that he didn't get insurance for the car he wrecked, but when he told the judge that the car went to a junkyard, he was quite upset. He gave my boyfriend a $200 fine. We are from Maine, so I guess I am unsure of the laws that occur in TN, but to me this makes no sense. Why would you insure a vehicle that 1) isn't yours and 2) went to a junkyard? If anyone can help, it would be greatly appreciated because to me this sounds really ridiculous, but it may be the law, however I do not know.

Your boyfriend was negligent in not verifying that the vehicle was properly registered and insured before he drove it. But if the vehicle had remained driveable and if your boyfriend or his brother had corrected these deficiencies prior to the court appearance, I am confident that the amount of the fine would have been smaller. Next case!

[Rhiannonfoster86]

Ok, but that still doesn't answer my question as to WHY he needed insurance on a vehicle that didn't belong to him and is at the junkyard.......

[BirdieBelle]

The state of TN has "proof of financial responsibility" laws that require anyone driving on Tennessee roads to carry proof that they can be financially responsible for any damage to people or property they cause while driving any vehicle while in our state.

Financial Responsibility Laws

It's his fault the vehicle is at the junkyard. The insurance is for him, not the car, since it's unlikely the car would damage anyone if he (or any driver) weren't driving it.

He needs to pay the fine and consider himself lucky the judge didn't impose any of the other possible penalties:

http://www.tn.gov/safety/FinancialRe...y/frSTOP.shtml

[Rhiannonfoster86]

I still don't understand why it would be his fault that the vehicle is at the junkyard, because it was easily fixable, but it was his brother's choice to junk it because he needed the money and didn't want to wait to sell it, which I can see why, if by law, he should have done this all at first, but seeing as we did not know the laws because we are new here, oh I dunno what I'm trying to say. lol. I understand that it's partly his fault that he was driving a vehicle that was not insured and from my guess of what you are saying, he should have had personal insurance. But with that being said, at the end of all of this, the vehicle did not belong to him and was not in his name, so I would think it should come back on his brother for not having the proper forms to make his vehicle legal, and should not be all on my boyfriend. I understand that laws are very different in every state, but this I'm still not understanding.

[BirdieBelle]

Ignorantia juris non excusat

Ignorance of the law is not an excuse for violating the law.

[hiknapster]

Frankly, he would have had the same issue if this had happened in Maine. Was anyone hurt in this accident? What did he hit?

[artemis]

I was hit by an uninsured motorist from Maryland in June. He was driving a friend's car, who did not have insurance on the vehicle. My insurance company repaired my vehicle under my uninsured motorist coverage, and they are going to sue both of them for the cost of repairs.

The guy that hit me kept yelling at me that he doesn't own a car & he didn't need insurance. I work for an insurance company & know better. The cop told him the same thing when he got there. Neither person can be found now, but my insurance carrier will continue to look for them both.

[Rhiannonfoster86]

Okay, first off, there is no need to be rude. I'm posting on this thread BECAUSE I am new and I am not YET aware of the laws. I would think SOME ppl would be a bit more respectful because I don't understand. If I knew how rude some ppl can be on here, I would'n't have bothered. And Maine is very different. You don't have to purchase personal insurance. If someone crashes my vehicle and they're not on my insurance, I"M the one in trouble for not having them insured. They don't have no-fault in Maine. Every state is different. I lived in Maine and in New York. In Maine, if someone drives your vehicle and the you are aware that they do not have a license, and they get pulled over YOU get arrested. If you get pulled over and someone isn't wearing their seat belt, YOU get the ticket. In New York, these rules are the exact opposite. So Sorry if I'm not sitting on the computer all day looking up the laws, especially in Tennessee since I live in KY.

[Rhiannonfoster86]

He went through a light and someone was coming of to turn right and smacked the back end of him.