In the state of California, to drive a motor vehicle, it is mandatory to have a valid driver's license. In fact, it is also one of the requirements that you will need when buying car insurance. However, many people do not have a driver's license and still drive every day on our roads and highways.

What happens if you are involved in an accident and don't have a driver's license? One of the essential things to know in these cases is that, although it is illegal to drive without a license, this can be considered a minor offense or a more serious one, depending on the circumstances.

If you were not responsible for the accident, not having a license will not affect your level of responsibility. Let's remember that the state of California is a “fault state,” which means that liability must be determined to find the person responsible for the accident. Therefore, the person liable must pay compensation for damages that cover your medical expenses, property damage, and injuries, as well as all the consequences derived from them.

However, you will have to be prepared for the other party's insurance company to try to use this against you as an excuse to offer you less compensation. We all know that insurers are a business and that they will always seek to pay the affected party as little as possible, trying to use any situation to do so.

If the accident was not your fault, you would most likely end up with a ticket from the police that you will have to pay like any other minor infraction. But if your license has been suspended permanently or temporarily, then you could find yourself in a big problem that could result in jail, very high fines, and/or a greater extension in terms of license suspension time.

If you were the person responsible for the accident, then the circumstances and the reasons for you not having a license will need to be investigated to see if this influenced the accident in any way.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident like this, give us a call today. The experience and skills of the attorney handling your case will be crucial to obtain a positive result.

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