A California judge is dismissing a lawsuit brought by the family of a 20-year-old Minnesota college student who blames Apple for his 2013 death by an iPhone-wielding texting teen.

The dead boy's family claims that Apple had a legal duty to help prevent texting while driving and that it could have used patented technology it has developed to prohibit motorists from driving while distracted.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Maureen Folan, however, took Apple's side. She agreed with Cupertino's position that Apple didn't cause the crash that killed David Riggs while he was riding his scooter. What's more, the court agreed with Apple's contention that it does not have a legal obligation to help prevent distracted driving.

"The chain of causation alleged by plaintiffs in this case is far too attenuated for a reasonable person to conclude that Apple's conduct is or was a substantial factor in causing plaintiffs' harm," the judge wrote (PDF). Further, the judge said that "defendant Apple does not owe a duty of care to plaintiff."

The ruling is another one backing Apple in lawsuits alleging the Cupertino gadget maker was to blame for deaths and injuries connected to distracted driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says distracted driving claimed 3,477 lives in 2015.

Folan's decision was a "tentative ruling"—meaning the deceased boy's family gets a chance to try to convince the judge to change her mind.

The family's attorney did not respond to Ars for comment.

The 2014 Apple patent referenced in the lawsuits is designed to provide a "lock-out mechanism" to prevent iPhone use by drivers. The patent claims a "motion analyzer" and a "scenery analyzer" to help prevent phone use. The reliability of such lock-out services, however, has come into question.

While Apple may not be legally obligated to combat distracted driving, its upcoming iOS 11 iPhone software comes with a "Do Not Disturb While Driving" feature. When enabled, it will block notifications while a vehicle is traveling. It can also send auto-replies of texts to alert that the driver is behind the wheel.