Modern cars to safe
Discussion
Was having a natter with a gentlemen at work the other day who was of the opinion that removing safety structures and driver aids would increase the number of people that drive in a safe manner. Which is kinda logical as if you know your cars going to crumple like a piece of paper if you crash your going to drive a with a little more care. which reminded me of a uni assignment I did on street furniture and this among other articles around increasing danger to improve safety. Was just curious as to people opinions
Edited by grkify on Sunday 16th November 16:05
Edited by grkify on Sunday 16th November 16:21
grkify said:
Was having a natter with a gentlemen at work the other day who was of the opinion that removing safety structures and driver aids would increase the number of people that drive in a safe manor.
And would increase the number of killed or seriously injured on the roads. What a stupid suggestion.I'd love to find a 'safe manor' to drive in. Might you mean, erm 'manner'?
Seriously. There is a known effect whereby drivers do relax their guard following the introduction of visible safety improvements. The most notable was in the 1980s, after wearing seat belt was made compulsory, when there was a blip increase in road accidents because drivers felt safer and so were less cautious.
Thing is though that road accident deaths have fallen year-on-year since WWII despite massive increase both in numbers of cars and yearly miles that we typically drive. So, there is an overwhelming argument for making cars and roads as safe as they can possibly be.
Seriously. There is a known effect whereby drivers do relax their guard following the introduction of visible safety improvements. The most notable was in the 1980s, after wearing seat belt was made compulsory, when there was a blip increase in road accidents because drivers felt safer and so were less cautious.
Thing is though that road accident deaths have fallen year-on-year since WWII despite massive increase both in numbers of cars and yearly miles that we typically drive. So, there is an overwhelming argument for making cars and roads as safe as they can possibly be.
Modern cars have to be too safe because there is a moral and legal responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure customer well being. With injury shysters 4U hovering around every street corner, spineless insurers and crash for cash scam artists outnumbering drivers in some parts (The A47 Bretton bypass on the northern outskirts of Peterborough for example) cars need to be as safe as possible.
Have safety features ruined cars? No, they have lulled some drivers into a false sense of security but that soon diminishes once they have or are witness to a collision. Several hundred thousand or more people are alive today that wouldn't be if it wasn't for advances in safety like crumple zones, air bags, ABS and such.
Have "drivers aids" ruined cars? Absolutely. The more drivers aids cars have the worse drivers can be until they run out of computer assistance.
The...
Have safety features ruined cars? No, they have lulled some drivers into a false sense of security but that soon diminishes once they have or are witness to a collision. Several hundred thousand or more people are alive today that wouldn't be if it wasn't for advances in safety like crumple zones, air bags, ABS and such.
Have "drivers aids" ruined cars? Absolutely. The more drivers aids cars have the worse drivers can be until they run out of computer assistance.
The...
Sodotard said:
I have the latest blah blah blah and it has fourteen different traction control settings, launch control, adaptive abs so it senses what wheel needs the most braking effect turning in and electronic stability so it can send power to the wheel that needs it most on the way out of the bend...
...attitude has made driving anywhere in the UK a gauntlet run looking out for people with more drivers aids than sense. Really,
whilst I don't necessarily support it - it's been said more than once ...
Who was it that said if you replaced the airbag on a steering wheel with a sharp metal spike - people might drive more carefully.... http://io9.com/5751216/would-putting-a-spike-in-th...
Also consider the shared space street concept - removing all saftey barriers between pedestrians and vehicles, seems to make everyone be more considerate... Originally a Dutch concept I believe...
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-services/what-we-do...
I don't see him being as dim as you think, perhaps if people took ownership of their actions rather than over-relying on the safety systems in vehicle?? Yes there are cases where these systems are worth their weight in gold - however people treat them as something they rely on rather than an emergency and drive accordingly.
Perhaps the reverse is also true...
S.
edit - beaten to it ;-)
whilst I don't necessarily support it - it's been said more than once ...
Who was it that said if you replaced the airbag on a steering wheel with a sharp metal spike - people might drive more carefully.... http://io9.com/5751216/would-putting-a-spike-in-th...
Also consider the shared space street concept - removing all saftey barriers between pedestrians and vehicles, seems to make everyone be more considerate... Originally a Dutch concept I believe...
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-services/what-we-do...
I don't see him being as dim as you think, perhaps if people took ownership of their actions rather than over-relying on the safety systems in vehicle?? Yes there are cases where these systems are worth their weight in gold - however people treat them as something they rely on rather than an emergency and drive accordingly.
Perhaps the reverse is also true...
S.
edit - beaten to it ;-)
The Vambo said:
I wonder how loudly Jackie Stewart would shout at this thread?
Very. 
Grammar Police or not it is a valid question and one that comes up periodically both on motoring forums and the motoring press.
The...
Car Mag said:
Which is the best M3?
...type articles for example. The older generation models providing greater driving pleasure than the newer all computer controlled variants means the "Drivers Car" vs "Drivers Aid" debate will go on for a good while yet. Not too safe, but you get no real impression of speed and can easily get up to an unsafe speed without realising it. Removing all soundproofing would probably reduce accidents more than removing safety features. Also has anyone driven a car where a door seal has come adrift. 30 seems more like 60 and 70 seems like warp speed.
Justin Case said:
Not too safe, but you get no real impression of speed and can easily get up to an unsafe speed without realising it. Removing all soundproofing would probably reduce accidents more than removing safety features. Also has anyone driven a car where a door seal has come adrift. 30 seems more like 60 and 70 seems like warp speed.
Thats an interesting thought. Never really thought about it but the difference between my personal car x reg clio and the work car 14 plate corsa at 70 is like night and day in terms of noise at 70 skyrover said:
When someone plows into the back of you and crushes your kids in the back seat, you may regret starting this thread.
If something like an IQ can get a 5* safety rating with all the modern safety features is designed like this this I dont think the safety features are going to help in a rear impact. Edited by grkify on Sunday 16th November 16:54
Negative Creep said:
It does seem ironic that the byproducts of stronger cars are blindspots, reduced visibility and access to components meaning far more people simply drive with faulty headlights than ever before
The A pillar on the works corsa is a prime example of this can lose a small van in it at junctions grkify said:
If something like an IQ can get a 5* safety rating with all the modern safety features is designed like this this I dont think the safety features are going to help in a rear impact.
You have no idea that you don't know what you are talking about.Edited by grkify on Sunday 16th November 16:54
The Vambo said:
grkify said:
If something like an IQ can get a 5* safety rating with all the modern safety features is designed like this this I dont think the safety features are going to help in a rear impact.
You have no idea that you don't know what you are talking about.Edited by grkify on Sunday 16th November 16:54
...but it does remind me or the old Volvo seven seaters where you'd sit in the back and basically be the crumple zone.
grkify said:
skyrover said:
When someone plows into the back of you and crushes your kids in the back seat, you may regret starting this thread.
If something like an IQ can get a 5* safety rating with all the modern safety features is designed like this this I dont think the safety features are going to help in a rear impact. Edited by grkify on Sunday 16th November 16:54
Sounds like they are thinking of Risk compensation Theory & Peltzman effect - but I think the risk taking increase is less than the safety gains.
I suspect one issue is improvements in things like braking means many drivers are not aware they have misjudged anything e.g. that hammering becomes just normal car noise and that flashing dash light is just going around a corner. The biggest issue would be this young blokes who like to go everywhere at max throttle and where they'd previously learnt with wheels locking up or car under/over steering the car's electronics means this is much less likely unless at speeds well over their ability.
I suspect one issue is improvements in things like braking means many drivers are not aware they have misjudged anything e.g. that hammering becomes just normal car noise and that flashing dash light is just going around a corner. The biggest issue would be this young blokes who like to go everywhere at max throttle and where they'd previously learnt with wheels locking up or car under/over steering the car's electronics means this is much less likely unless at speeds well over their ability.
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