Court Opinion

ID: 9850414
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:56:50.434847+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:36.790058
License: Public Domain

*473Petrich, J.
(dissenting)—The majority concludes that the only reasonable interpretation of the term "using" in this policy is one that excludes being a guest passenger. I disagree and dissent. The term "use" is construed to include all proper uses of the vehicle. Transamerica Ins. Group v. United Pac. Ins. Co., 92 Wn.2d 21, 26, 593 P.2d 156 (1979); 6B J. Appleman, Insurance § 4316 (1979). It is not synonymous with, or limited to, "operation" of the vehicle. 7 Blashfield on Automobiles § 315.7 (3d ed. F. Lewis 1966); 12 G. Couch, Insurance § 45.42 (2d rev. ed. 1981). A number of other jurisdictions have concluded that a person riding in a vehicle is "using" the vehicle. DeJarnette v. Federal Kemper Ins. Co., 299 Md. 708, 475 A.2d 454, 461 (Ct. App. 1984); State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Francis, 669 S.W.2d 424, 427 (Tex. Ct. App. 1984); Motor Club Fire & Cas. Co. v. New Jersey Mfrs. Ins. Co., 73 N.J. 425, 375 A.2d 639, 645, cert. denied, 434 U.S. 923, 54 L. Ed. 2d 281, 98 S. Ct. 402 (1977); Commonwealth v. Giannino, 371 Mass. 700, 358 N.E.2d 1008, 1010 (1977); Home Indem. Co. v. Lively, 353 F. Supp. 1191, 1193 (W.D. Okla. 1972); Orrill v. Garrett, 100 Ill. App. 2d 194, 241 N.E.2d 1, 3 (1968). But see Auto-Owners Ins. Co. v. Jones, 397 So. 2d 317, 320 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1981).
The question of when a person is "using" a vehicle and is protected by an uninsured motorist endorsement was addressed in Rau v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 21 Wn. App. 326, 585 P.2d 157 (1978). In that case, a delivery truck driver was returning to his truck after asking for directions when he was struck by an uninsured motorist. The court concluded that the truck driver was "using" the truck at the time he was struck, based on the following four criteria:
(1) there must be a causal relation or connection between the injury and the use of the insured vehicle; (2) the person asserting coverage must be in a reasonably close geographic proximity to the insured vehicle, although the person need not be actually touching it; (3) the person must be vehicle oriented rather than highway or sidewalk oriented at the time; and (4) the person must also be *474engaged in a transaction essential to the use of the vehicle at the time.
(Citations omitted.) Rau v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 21 Wn. App. at 334.
Dobosh's guest passengers clearly satisfy criteria 2 and 3, as they were in the vehicle at the time of the collision. Since the use of the vehicle asserted by the passengers is to be transported from one place to another, riding in the car is an essential transaction under criterion 4. The only question is whether there is a causal connection between the passengers' injuries and their use of the vehicle. No causal connection has been found where the vehicle is only the situs of the injury, such as occupants injured by the discharge of a firearm inside the vehicle. Transamerica Ins. Group v. United Pac. Ins. Co., 92 Wn.2d at 26-27. However, where the operation of the vehicle has some connection to the injury, there is a causal connection. Transamerica Ins. Group v. United Pac. Ins. Co., 92 Wn.2d at 27-28. Here, the vehicle was more than the mere situs of the injuries, it was the cause of the injuries. I conclude that all four of the Rau criteria are met and that the guest passengers were "using" the vehicle.
The majority states that " [bjecause it is reasonable to conclude that a passenger would not, under the terms of the policy, be subject to liability simply because he or she is a passenger, it is reasonable to conclude that a passenger is not covered by the UIM endorsement." This suggests that a distinction can be drawn between passengers who subject themselves to liability and those who do not. I believe that this is an ill-advised suggestion, based on the following hypothetical. A car, containing a driver and three guest passengers, veers into a common left-turn lane after one of the passengers jerks the steering wheel out of the driver's hands. At the same moment, an oncoming, uninsured car negligently enters the turn lane and collides with the first car. The passenger who grabbed the steering wheel is "subject to liability" and, under the suggestion of the majority, would be covered by the UIM endorsement, but the other *475passengers, who did not contribute to the collision, would not be covered. Such a result would not be consistent with the policy of providing broad protection against financially irresponsible motorists. Touchette v. Northwestern Mut. Ins. Co., 80 Wn.2d 327, 494 P.2d 479 (1972).
I believe that the majority's conclusion that the term "using" excludes guest passengers and my conclusion that the term includes them are both fair and reasonable interpretations. Therefore, I believe an ambiguity exists and that the term "using" should be construed in favor of coverage for the guest passengers. GMAC v. Grange Ins. Ass'n, 38 Wn. App. 6, 684 P.2d 744 (1984). I would affirm the trial court's entry of summary judgment in favor of Dobosh and Safeco.
Review denied by Supreme Court July 10, 1986.