> leave your vehicle without the hand brake, the vehicle moves and kills somebody, then it's your fault, true. It's also true if the brake fails, whether or n

> leave your vehicle without the hand brake, the vehicle moves and kills somebody, then it's your fault, true. It's also true if the brake fails, whether or not you maintained it correctly. > and it's a crime false. It's a tort -- a misdeed against the victims, for which they or their heirs can sue you to recover damages. The legal theory is "strict liability." It applies also to farmers whose bulls escape into the village and wreak havoc, and to factories whose molasses tanks collapse and flood streets. The victim need not prove negligence to collect actual damages. To collect punitive damages the victim does need to prove negligence.