How to Find Information on the Penalty for Joyriding

For some people, the lure of a beautiful, sleek car is too heady to resist. They just have to test drive it and feel the smoothness of the engine and the sharpness of its steering for themselves. This is fine if that test drive is taking place at an auto dealership and authorized by a sales agent. It is not all right, however, if the person does not have permission from the owner. In that case, it's called joyriding, and even if the car is returned unharmed, as is often the case, a crime has still been committed. If someone has taken your car out for a joyride, you should be armed with information on the penalty.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet access
• Computer
• Telephone

1. Understand that while there are no specific federal laws regarding joyriding, federal penalties can nonetheless result in certain circumstances. If the car is taken across state lines, destroyed, or if someone is hurt or killed during the joyride, the crime can quickly go from being a misdemeanor at the state level to a federal felony.
2. Study the state statutes. These will contain a description of everything that is considered a crime in your state, as well as penalties for these crimes. You can find your state statutes online or by visiting your local library.
3. Look for a criminal lawyer in your area who gives free consultations. He or she will be able to provide current information on the penalty for joyriding in your state and will also have the most accurate information on this topic. You can find such an attorney by contacting the American Bar Association (see Resources below).
4. Follow up by filing a police report. Being arrested is a strong deterrent against joyriding in the future. Whether you know who took your car for a joyride or not, let the police know about it so they can take the appropriate actions.

Tips & Warnings

• Keeping your car locked whenever you are not in it is a strong deterrent to joyriders. Also, making it a practice to never leave your keys in the car or the engine running when you go into a store will also discourage joyriding. Joyriders want an easy joyriding experience. Make it hard for them and the chances of being bothered by this crime will drop for you.
• If your car is taken for a joyride and is damaged or not returned, you are legally entitled to take the joyrider to court to obtain financial restitution.
• Joyriding may not seem like a big deal, but it can land you in some serious legal trouble, especially if you damage the car you took. Never take someone's car for a drive without asking permission, even if you know the owner of the car.