California's duty of care in negligent entrustment cases is set forth in several sections of the California Vehicle Code. In essence, they prohibit people who own or are in charge of a motor vehicle from knowingly letting someone drive that vehicle if the person isn't licensed or competent to do so. This includes when an owner entrusts someone to use a car or vehicle if the owner knows or should know the driver: Is drunk or stoned; Is underage; Does not have a California driver's license; Has a suspended or revoked license; Has a medical condition (such as vision problems) that makes it a danger to drive; or Had a recent conviction for drunk driving or reckless driving. The applicable sections are:
n California Vehicle Code 14606(a): A person shall not employ, hire, knowingly permit, or authorize any person to drive a motor vehicle owned by him or her or under his or her control upon the highways unless that person is licensed for the appropriate class of vehicle to be driven.
n California Vehicle Code 14607: No person shall cause or knowingly permit his child, ward, or employee under the age of 18 years to drive a motor vehicle upon the highways unless such child, ward, or employee is then licensed under this code.
n California Vehicle Code14608(a): A person shall not rent a motor vehicle to another person unless both of the following requirements have been met: The person to whom the vehicle is rented is licensed under this code or is a nonresident who is licensed under the laws of the state or country of his or her residence. The person renting to another person has inspected the driver's license of the person to whom the vehicle is to be rented and compared either the signature thereon with that of the person to whom the vehicle is to be rented or the photograph thereon with the person to whom the vehicle is to be rented.