Originally Posted by
njkayaker
Probably because of some wacky theory that parents are solely responsible for everything their (almost adult) children do (presumably, forever).
The car driver was, in effect, punished by death. (An "eye for an eye" and all that.)
Unfortunately the comments were not about being financially responsible for the loss of life, but more towards punishing. The law makes a parent financially responsible, but not for being "sued for everything they have". If the judgement is for more than either insurance provides of the family's resources then it may be into the "everything they have" territory, but not as a punishment but as a make the family as whole as possible under the law.
Similarly, a the family would not be held criminally liable for the teen drivers actions if there was criminal activity such as DUI. Or would you all also want the parents to lose their licenses for that too?