How is deviation from an agreed route treated in common-law carriage cases?

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Mosaic portrait of Emperor Justinian I with a jeweled crown and halo, from the 6th-century Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. — Carriage of goods Justinian I, detail of a 6th-century mosaic at the Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy.

In common-law jurisdictions, a deviation occurs when a carrier departs from a route that they have expressly or impliedly agreed to follow, or when they travel past the agreed destination.1

When such a deviation results in a delay in the delivery of goods, the carrier is generally held answerable for damages. This treatment differs from civil-law jurisdictions, where carriers are not typically bound to a specific route in the absence of a special agreement or legislation, meaning a deviation does not automatically constitute a fault of the carrier.1