Contributory negligence is a common law defense to a claim based on negligence, an action in tort. It applies to cases where plaintiffs have, through their own negligence, contributed to cause the damages they incurred as a result of defendants’ negligence. For example, a pedestrian crosses a road carelessly and is hit by a driver who is also driving carelessly. Contributory negligence is distinguishable from contribution, which is a claim brought by one or more defendants seeking to have a third party pay some or all of any money damages awarded to a plaintiff.