When could an owner of a vehicle be held liable for negligent entrustment?

The concept of negligent entrustment arises when a vehicle owner provides their vehicle to someone they know or should reasonably know is likely to operate the vehicle in a negligent or reckless manner. The correct answer, which emphasizes the owner's awareness of the user's potential for negligence, reflects this principle.

When an owner has reason to believe that the user is negligent—such as previous reckless driving behavior, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or lack of a valid driver's license—they can be held liable for any subsequent damages caused by the user's negligent driving. This is because the owner failed to exercise reasonable care in allowing someone unfit to drive to operate their vehicle.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately represent the standard for negligent entrustment. For instance, lacking experience with vehicles does not inherently indicate a likelihood of negligent behavior; many inexperienced drivers may still operate their vehicles safely. Similarly, permission to use a vehicle for personal purposes is not enough to establish liability unless paired with knowledge of the user's propensity for negligent behavior. Lastly, simply registering the vehicle in someone else's name does not hold the owner liable for negligent entrustment; liability is more contingent upon the owner's knowledge or should-have-known standard regarding the user's behavior.