Can a parent be forced to pay for damages caused by a child?

A parent may be ”vicariously liable” for the acts of a child if they failed to supervise or control the child properly. Vicarious liability imposes responsibility for the acts of another based on the relationship with the person who committed the act. For example, California has a ”gang parent” law, which authorizes the arrest of parents of juvenile gang members where a gang member commits a serious offense. Similarly, if a teenage driver has an accident or commits a crime while driving the family car, a court may hold the parents responsible in certain situations.