The "reasonable person standard" is a legal concept used to determine how an average person would act in a similar situation. It serves as a benchmark for evaluating behavior in negligence cases, helping courts decide if someone's actions were appropriate or careless. This standard is not based on the specific individual’s characteristics but rather on what a typical person would do under comparable circumstances. In legal contexts, the reasonable person standard helps establish liability by assessing whether a person's actions fell short of what society expects. For example, if a driver fails to stop at a red light, a court may consider whether a reasonable driver would have done the same, influencing the outcome of the case.