Which of the following best describes negligence?

Negligence is best described as the failure to act in a manner that a reasonable person would, resulting in harm or damage to another party. This definition emphasizes the importance of the standard of care expected in various situations. In legal terms, a person is considered negligent if they do not exercise the level of care that a typical, prudent individual would under similar circumstances, leading to an unintended injury to another person.

This concept is foundational in tort law, where the focus is not on the intent to cause harm but rather on the failure to take appropriate precautions that a reasonable individual would take. For example, if a driver does not stop at a red light and causes an accident, this can be seen as negligence because the driver failed to act as a reasonable person would by adhering to traffic rules that prevent such incidents.

In contrast, intentional acts or statutory breaches do not fit the definition of negligence, as they imply direct intent or violation of the law, rather than a mere lack of care. Thus, understanding negligence requires recognizing the distinction between careless behavior and intentional wrongdoing.