The act of teenagers borrowing the family car can be considered a rite of passage in many American families. Most of the time this happens, the result is harmless. But on occasion, something can go terribly wrong and an accident ensues that harms others. In such instances, the question can come up whether those who actually owned the car were negligent in allowing another person to drive it. This question comes under the legal theory known as "negligent entrustment." In Georgia, courts have defined negligent entrustment of a motor vehicle to be when an automobile owner lends his or her car to another person (it does not have to be a family member) to someone whom he or she knows (that is, has actual knowledge) is incompetent to drive or is otherwise habitually reckless. The negligence on the part of the vehicle owner in lending it to someone who should…

One person was killed and another was injured in an accident in Warner Robins on Oct. 8. The driver responsible for the crash ran a red light at what appears to be high speed, causing the fatal accident. Police report that around 9:15 a.m., a 22-year-old Warner Robins woman was making a left turn from Burns Drive onto Russell Parkway when her 2002 Mazda Tribute was hit by a 2000 Ford F250 pickup truck, driven by a 34-year-old Perry man, that had just run a red light. The Mazda had the green light for the turn at the time of the accident. The skid marks from the Ford at the scene began before the stop line of the traffic light. The Mazda crashed into a barrier protecting some nearby gas pumps, and the driver's side seating area and the back of the car were crushed. The pickup truck stopped on…

There are plenty of drivers in Macon who may prioritize safe driving no matter what the situation might be. However, car wrecks can happen to any driver at any time with little or no warning, time to prepare, or immediately detectable reason. In a case that Georgia patrol officers are still investigating, one man has left two others dead and one injured in a car accident on the freeway, but an actual cause for the accident itself has yet to be determined. The man who was driving the vehicle that struck the victims was taken to Appling Hospital for a precautionary check-up to ensure that no damage had been sustained. However, the car that he hit lost 2 people, ages 23 and 24. In addition, one woman in the car needed to be flown to a medical center for emergency attention. According to police reports, the accident occurred shortly before midnight…