• ES
Menu
  • ES
  • Call 210 225 0909
  • Live Chat
  • Request a Free Consultation
  • Available 24/7

210 225 0909

Injured in an accident? No fee unless we win.
Call now
Call Now 24/7
  • Practice Areas

    Accidents

    • Car Accidents
    • Truck Accidents
    • Slip & Fall
    • Pedestrian Accidents
    • Workplace Accidents
    • Construction Accidents

    Injuries

    • Catastrophic Injuries
    • Wrongful Death
    • Traumatic Brain Injuries
    • Spinal Cord Injuries
    • Product Liability
    • Dog Bites

    More practice areas

  • Locations
    • San Antonio
    • Austin
    • Dallas
    • Texas
  • About Us
    • George Salinas
    • Interviews with George Salinas
    • Testimonials
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • ES
Menu
  • ES
  • Practice Areas
    • Accidents
      • Car Accidents
      • Truck Accidents
      • Slip & Fall
      • Pedestrian Accidents
      • Workplace Accidents
      • Construction Accidents
    • Injuries
      • Catastrophic Injuries
      • Wrongful Death
      • Traumatic Brain Injuries
      • Spinal Cord Injuries
      • Product Liability
      • Dog Bites
  • Locations
    • San Antonio
    • Austin
    • Dallas
    • Texas
  • About Us
    • George Salinas
    • Interviews with George Salinas
    • Testimonials
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
Menu
  • Practice Areas
    • Accidents
      • Car Accidents
      • Truck Accidents
      • Slip & Fall
      • Pedestrian Accidents
      • Workplace Accidents
      • Construction Accidents
    • Injuries
      • Catastrophic Injuries
      • Wrongful Death
      • Traumatic Brain Injuries
      • Spinal Cord Injuries
      • Product Liability
      • Dog Bites
  • Locations
    • San Antonio
    • Austin
    • Dallas
    • Texas
  • About Us
    • George Salinas
    • Interviews with George Salinas
    • Testimonials
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Inicio › Blog › Consequences of getting into a car accident without a driver’s license in Texas

Consequences of getting into a car accident without a driver’s license in Texas

  • Posted on: June 24, 2022
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on whatsapp
WhatsApp
Share on email
Email
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on whatsapp
Share on email

Consequences of getting into a car accident without a driver's license Car accidents can become complex cases for a number of reasons. The main factors include the type of collision, the number of injured parties, the type of injuries sustained and the necessary paperwork for a victim to seek compensation.

Now imagine the seriousness of an accident when a driver involved doesn’t carry a valid driver’s license. If you’re driving without a license in Texas and are injured by a negligent driver, you can still seek compensation for your injuries. With a good defense from George Salinas Injury Attorneys, you can prove that the other driver was at fault.

Statistics on unlicensed drivers in the U.S.

A study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety states that drivers without a valid license are responsible for 20% of all car accidents. That means on average an unlicensed driver causes around 8,400 deaths per year.

This same study found that approximately 3% of all drivers are unlicensed and 18% of fatal car and truck crashes involve a driver who doesn’t have a license. In addition, 6% of drivers in these accidents hold a revoked or suspended license and, even more alarming, 5% don’t have one at all.

Regardless of whether you had a valid license at the time of the accident, the at-fault driver’s insurance company is responsible for compensating you for your losses. Pursuing this claim will likely require a car accident attorney, as the insurer will attempt to demonstrate that being an unlicensed driver automatically makes you a bad motorist.

Penalties for driving without a license in Texas

Unfortunately, there are penalties for drivers who get behind the wheel without a license in Texas. For example, you can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, which results in fines of up to $4,000 and imprisonment for up to one year.

The penalties for driving without this document depend on why you don’t have a valid driver’s license. If you never obtained one, you can be charged with a misdemeanor and receive a $200 fine. However, if the license was suspended or revoked, you would face felony and misdemeanor charges ranging from $25 to $500 and imprisonment of no less than 72 hours or more than six months in some cases.

On the other hand, if you accidentally left your license at home at the time of the accident, you may only have to pay an administrative fee that doesn’t exceed $10.

Reasons why people drive without a license

About 15.9% of Americans don’t have a valid driver’s license. In fact, the age groups with the highest percentage without a driver’s license are those 16 to 19 years old (65.2%), 85 years old or older (39.9%) and 20 to 24 years old (19.2%). Because of these statistics, people who drive without a license are characterized in the following ways:

  • Teenagers who don’t yet have a license or are under the required age.
  • Seniors who may have failed a driving test due to age-related conditions, visual or cognitive impairment.
  • Individuals who had their licenses revoked due to medical conditions or careless driving.

 

Does your insurance cover accidents if an unlicensed driver hits you?

If an unlicensed driver hits you, your insurance will likely cover your accident. The question is what type of coverage will take precedence, since to drive legally in Texas, you need insurance that includes:

  • Bodily injury liability
    Policies must cover a minimum of $30,000 per person and $60,000 for all persons injured in an accident.
  • Property damage liability
    In Texas, policies need to cover at least $25,000 for all property damage in an accident.

 

If an unlicensed driver crashes into you, seek compensation through your insurance coverage. If the driver doesn’t have insurance, you’ll have to rely on your own uninsured motorist coverage, which covers damages caused by an accident with an uninsured driver.

6 steps to follow after a car accident with an unlicensed driver in Texas

Filing an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit resulting from a car accident when an involved driver doesn’t have a license is likely to be a big challenge. If you are ever the victim of such an incident, here are 6 tips for you to follow immediately after your incident to benefit your case later on.

  • Call 911.
  • Cooperate with the police report.
  • Save your medical records.
  • Take photographs of the accident, your vehicle, the at-fault party’s vehicle, the area around the accident and any signs or traffic lights.
  • Exchange contact information with the other driver and any witnesses in the area.
  • Contact an accident attorney.

 

Hiring a car accident attorney is one of the smartest decisions you can make. If you’re an unlicensed driver involved in a car accident, your attorney can initiate a full-scale investigation and help establish the liability of the other party.

Contact a Texas car accident lawyer

If you were injured in a car accident, approach a personal injury attorney to represent you. In this way, you can be sure that you won’t be taken advantage of in your case.

Our car accident attorneys at George Salinas Injury Lawyers know how devastating a collision can be. That’s why they’ll help you seek maximum compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering. Contact us for a free consultation, so we can help guide you on the right legal path.

If you found this article interesting, read more here:

  • Everything you need to know about the Texas Move Over Law
  • 7 common symptoms you may experience after a car accident in Texas

Search the Blog

Search

Categories

Categories
  • Accident and Personal Injury Guides
  • Blog
  • Car Accident Guides
  • Corporate
  • General
  • Help for Austin
  • Help for San Antonio
  • Help for Texas
  • Legal advice
  • Work accident guides

Recent

Recent Posts
  • How much is the average 18-wheeler accident settlement? July 28, 2022
  • 6 tips to find the best slip and fall lawyer in Texas July 25, 2022
  • Odds of dying in a car accident in Texas July 20, 2022
  • Is it illegal to use headphones while driving in Texas? July 14, 2022
  • Must-knows about chest pain after a car accident July 8, 2022

Office

6243 IH-10 West, Suite 955
San Antonio, TX 78201

LETS TALK

We’re here to help
Request a Free Consultation

Phone: 210-225-0909
Fax: 210-960-4604

San Antonio

Car Accidents Lawyer Truck Accidents Lawyer Workplace Injury Lawyer

Texas

Personal Injury Lawyer

AUSTIN

Personal Injury Lawyer

©2022, George Salinas Injury Lawyers. All Rights Reserved.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.