What defines "reckless conduct" in legal terms?

Reckless conduct is legally defined as actions taken with a conscious disregard for the safety of others, demonstrating a significant departure from the standard of care that a reasonable person would observe in a similar situation. This definition highlights that the individual not only failed to exercise caution but did so with an awareness that their actions could potentially cause harm to others.

This is fundamentally different from negligent behavior, which typically involves a failure to act with reasonable care rather than an intentional disregard for safety. Similarly, innocuous mistakes or unintentional harm during normal activities do not rise to the level of recklessness since they lack the willful disregard or conscious awareness of potential risk that reckless conduct entails.