Abu Dhabi Court orders father to pay Dh74,081 after son steals and wrecks car

Abu Dhabi: An Abu Dhabi court has ordered a man to pay Dh74,081 in damages after his underage son stole a car, drove it without a license and caused an accident that left the vehicle beyond repair.

Court documents show that the teenager, who was under 16 at the time, took the car without the owner’s consent and crashed it due to reckless driving and disregard for traffic rules. The vehicle sustained extensive damage and was deemed unfit for use.

The car’s owner filed a civil claim seeking Dh200,000 in compensation, along with rental costs for a replacement vehicle for more than 18 months, and the release fees for the damaged car.

He named the boy’s father as the defendant, both personally and in his capacity as the child’s legal guardian, and also requested 9 percent annual interest from the date of the claim.

The teenager was prosecuted in juvenile court, convicted and sentenced, with the ruling becoming final after no appeal was filed. 

The civil court appointed an expert to assess the damage, ultimately awarding the owner Dh74,081.50 for the loss of the vehicle and ordering the father to pay court fees and costs.

The judge rejected the claim for rental compensation, citing a lack of evidence that the plaintiff had actually hired a replacement car, noting that only a price quote had been provided rather than rental invoices.