Legal Principle Parents are not liable for wrongs committed by their children unless theyprovide the...........

Legal Concepts Legal Reasoning

Legal Principle: Parents are not liable for wrongs committed by their children unless theyprovide the opportunity for such wrongful acts to be committed by their children.

Fact Situation: Sunil, a minor, takes the keys to his father’s car from the table top where his father keeps it, drives the car on the public road and hits a pedestrian who gets injured.

Which of the following statements is the most appropriate in relation to the legal principle stated above?

Since Sunil took the car without his father’s permission, his father is not liable for Sunil’s act resultingin the accident.

Sunil’s father is liable for the conduct of Sunil resulting in the accident since he left the car keys wherehis son could easily take it without permission.

Accidents happen despite utmost care and hence neither Sunil nor his father is liable in the instantcase.

Sunil’s father is not liable since he had kept his car locked and securely deposited its keys withoutnegligence on his table top.

Explanation:

Quite self explanatory I think. Sunil's father presented the opportunity for Sunil to take his car keys by leaving them exposed on the table, thereby inviting liability. Sunil’s father is liable for the conduct of Sunil resulting in the accident since he left the car keys wherehis son could easily take it without permission.