Legal Definitions - ordinarily prudent person

An ordinarily prudent person is a legal standard used to determine whether someone acted with negligence. It refers to a hypothetical person who exercises the degree of attention, knowledge, intelligence, and judgment that society requires of its members for the protection of their own and of others' interests. This person is also known as a reasonable person, reasonable man, prudent person, reasonably prudent person, or highly prudent person.

The ordinarily prudent person acts sensibly, does things without serious delay, and takes proper but not excessive precautions. For example, if a driver is driving at a reasonable speed, obeying traffic laws, and paying attention to the road, they are acting like an ordinarily prudent person. On the other hand, if a driver is speeding, texting while driving, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they are not acting like an ordinarily prudent person.

The concept of an ordinarily prudent person is used in various legal contexts, such as negligence cases and insurance claims. It helps to establish a standard of behavior that individuals are expected to follow in order to avoid causing harm to themselves or others.