Legal Definitions - joyriding

Joyriding refers to the unlawful act of taking and using another person's vehicle without their permission, but without the intention of permanently depriving the owner of it. It is a criminal offense that focuses on the unauthorized temporary use of a vehicle, rather than outright theft. This offense is also commonly known as Unlawful Driving Away of an Automobile (UDAA) or Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of joyriding:

• Example 1: Impulsive Neighborhood Drive

  A group of high school students finds an unlocked car with the keys left inside in a residential driveway. On a whim, they decide to take it for a short drive around the block, intending to return it to the exact spot before the owner notices. They drive it for about fifteen minutes, park it back in the driveway, and leave.

  How this illustrates joyriding: The students took and used the car without the owner's consent. However, their clear intention was to return the vehicle after a temporary use, demonstrating no desire to permanently steal it or keep it from the owner.

• Example 2: Borrowing Without Permission for an Errand

  A person needs to pick up a prescription from a pharmacy a few miles away. They see their neighbor's car parked with the keys visible on the dashboard and know the neighbor is out of town. Believing they will be back before the neighbor returns, they take the car for the errand, planning to return it promptly and park it exactly where they found it.

  How this illustrates joyriding: The individual used the vehicle without the owner's explicit permission. Despite the perceived convenience or necessity, the act is unauthorized. Crucially, the intent was to return the car after a temporary use, not to permanently keep it.

• Example 3: Abandonment After Temporary Use

  After a night out, an individual, under the influence, impulsively takes a car belonging to someone they know from a parking lot without asking. They drive it for several miles, perhaps getting lost or simply losing interest, and then abandon it on the side of a rural road, expecting the owner or authorities to eventually find it.

  How this illustrates joyriding: The car was taken and used without consent. While the vehicle was abandoned, the initial intent was not to permanently deprive the owner of it through sale, destruction, or permanent concealment. Instead, it was an unauthorized, temporary use that ended with the vehicle being left for recovery, distinguishing it from outright theft.