Re: [AMC-list] Safety Weinie

[tom jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

I have always wondered at the "return on investment" angle on the
incremental safety features. It's hard to argue that many of them are
totally worthwhile. The downside is heavy cars (an Accord weights more than
my Classic Wagon!), complexity, cost. Surprisingly, reliability is not an
issue, cars come with 6-digit odometers and don't drop dead at 100K.

There sare things that are clearly worth it and zero impact. Dual braking,
seat belts (ask any racer -- they IMPROVE car control), good rubber, ...

Collapsible steering columns, side-impact bars, etc -- low cost/impact, what
percentage of serious injury/fatality do they statistically improve? 10%?
1%? 0.1% I have no idea.

I suspect current cars but minus say side impact air bags would not worsen
fatality/injury by 1% nationwide, but the U.S. has lost the ability to say
"enough!" and insurance companies have huge influence on this stuff.


An article on this stuff would be GREAT!!




PS: I would not want to be a kid today, parents act like there's danger at
every corner. It's hard to believe it's any worse today than it was when I
was a kid.

 I routinely ask all our incoming grad students (adults!) if they were
allowed to carry a knife, leatherman, whatever as a kid, say 12, 13, 14, 15
-- with rare exceptions -- the answer is NO. Sad.
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