What is the liability of an owner of a motor vehicle for damages resulting from a negligent operation by others?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from Brown v. Superior Court, 15 Cal.App.3d 187, 93 Cal.Rptr. 33 (Cal. App. 1971):
The liability of an owner of a motor vehicle for damages resulting from its negligent operation by others is purely statutory, and in this state is established by Vehicle Code section 17150. The ownership contemplated by the statute is not determined by the same rules as the ownership of an ordinary chattel; it is determined by the registration record (Borjesson v. Simpson, 177 Cal.App.2d 365, 2 Cal.Rptr. 366). Accordingly, the Vehicle Code contains transfer procedures enabling an owner who has sold a vehicle to divest himself of 'owner's' liability for accidents occurring thereafter. The applicable procedures are contained in sections 5900, 5901, and 5602.
Section 5900 provides:
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