Civil Jury Instructions Home

3.7-15  Right to Assume that Others Will Obey the Law

Revised to January 1, 2008

In determining what is reasonable care under all of the circumstances, the conduct of the <name of defendant> should be judged from the viewpoint of the reasonably prudent person.  A driver of an automobile is entitled to assume that other drivers will obey the law.  The driver may thus assume that other drivers will obey all statutes governing the operation of motor vehicles in this state and that they will use the care that a reasonably prudent person would use in the same circumstances.  The driver is allowed to make this assumption until (he/she) knows or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the assumption has become unwarranted.

Authority

Turbert v. Mather Motors, Inc., 165 Conn. 422, 429 (1973); Ramonas v. Zucker, 163 Conn. 142, 147-48 (1972); Tarzia v. Koopman, 147 Conn. 540, 544 (1960); Gross v. Boston, Worcester & New York State Railway Co., 117 Conn. 589, 596 (1933); Strosnick v. Connecticut Co., 92 Conn. 594, 598 (1918).