Legal Definitions - direct cause

Definition: Direct cause is a factor that produces a result or effect. It is also known as proximate cause. It is a cause that directly leads to an event and without which the event would not have occurred.

Example: A driver who runs a red light and hits another car is the direct cause of the accident. If the driver had stopped at the red light, the accident would not have happened.

This example illustrates that the driver's action of running the red light was the direct cause of the accident. If the driver had not run the red light, the accident would not have occurred. Therefore, the driver is responsible for the accident.