Violation of a statute designed to protect underage, unlicensed drivers, as well as innocent third parties, from the consequences of juvenile car theft and "joy riding," by prohibiting car owners from leaving the keys in their car if the car is unattended, is likely to be characterized as:
A) negligence per se.
B) res ipsa loquitur.
C) contributory negligence.
D) assumption of risk.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Negligence per se occurs when an individual violates a statute designed to protect a certain class of people, leading to harm to a member of that class. In this case, the statute aims to protect underage, unlicensed drivers and innocent third parties from the consequences of juvenile car theft and "joy riding" by setting a standard of care for car owners. Violating this statute by leaving keys in an unattended car directly leads to this classification.

Violation of a Statute Designed to Protect Underage, Unlicensed Drivers