Do we really need all that safety stuff?

[2000mc]

I've had an almost instant fail from that. Put new tires on a car in the winter, snow is coming down at a good rate... I'm drivin thinking about how much better the car handles the snow, crest a hill too fast for the conditions, spend the next 1/4mile tring to get it stoped for the intersection at the bottom that I still went through. Good tires and abs only protect against a limited level of stupid

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Don't get me wrong, I'm not totally against the availability of safety features, what bothers me is not being able to choose which ones I would rather get rid of.

So what ones would you choose to get rid of, and why ?

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by some_other_dave

I've seen studies that appear to show that people will drive to a given level of "perceived risk". That is, if they think their vehicle is "safe", they will tend to take more risks and drive more dangerously.

I would bet that the relationships are not linear, and things are more complex and nebulous than that, but it is an interesting notion.

-soD

I agree with this but how does that explain motorcyclists driving hellbent on stupidity?

Id also like to draw attention to the overwhelming number of drug-dealing hoodrats who buy gas sucking suv's as "status" then drive it acording to their inteligence level.

[P-hack]

The performance available on a motorcycle is probably a factor. Plenty of folks will thrash whatever vehicle they can afford to the limit on occasion, only cars don't get very far with all the other cars in the way.

[Frank Lee]

The mfgs couldn't give us a new 1600 lb Metro if they wanted to because of all the required nanny crap.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

These technologies will get so good someday that crashes will almost never happen. Heck, we might even get to the point where seat belts and airbags aren't even necessary due to how unlikely a collision is. I wouldn't be surprised if the active braking and steering systems become cheaper than adding airbags, seat belts, and pre-tensioners.

If car accidents could be nearly eliminated, then the structure itself wouldn't have to be designed to withstand impacts. Instead, it could be designed with efficiency in mind.

This is my view exactly, in about 20 years time, there'll be no need for any crash safety equipment (some estimate self driving cars within 10 years). Fortunately, I think we've reached 'peak airbag' already. My little Fiat has seven of them!

[niky]

While in general, yes, it's worth remembering the Mirage is well under 2,000 lbs, with all the prerequisite safety crap, more space than the Metro and more power. I can imagine seeing a circa-200 pound saving in weight if you cut it down to the same size.

In the end, safety is a factor, but mostly from the manufacturing side, in terms of cost. Consumers are still a huge factor in that equation.

-

My old B13 Sentra weighed (according to Wikipedia) 2,288 lbs in US-trim. A new Sentra weighs 2,800+ lbs. 650-odd pounds is a lot of extra weight, but the B13 had the rear legroom and headroom of a shoe cabinet, the new one is ginormous, with legroom rivalling even the Camry. It's ten inches longer, four inches wider and five inches taller.

And that's no accident. People keep asking for more, more, more. Post-WWII, in Europe, you could get weird cycle cars that used no gas, or tiny scooter-cars that used almost no gas and cost pennies to operate. As the economy improved, people wanted bigger... and bigger... and bigger. Now, only high gas prices, narrow roads and displacement-based and CO2-based tax regimes keep them from going full-on AMERICA!

Americans could certainly have a new four door family sedan that weighs 2,000 pounds and passes all crash requirements.

They simply won't buy one.

[bschloop]

Originally Posted by niky

Americans could certainly have a new four door family sedan that weighs 2,000 pounds and passes all crash requirements.

They simply won't buy one.

That's not exactly true. I see "Smart" cars, and 1st gen insights on an almost daily basis, and my wife bought a Mirage, and brags about it to everyone she knows. Truth be told, more people die in accidents while driving SUV's than cars. They sit too high, and flip too easily. Nothing, I repeat NOTHING, short of a nascar style head restraint system, will keep you safe in a rollover.

That being said, I am of the opinion that vehicles over 4000lb curb weight ought to be classified as a "light commercial vehicle" and require a special license. That would have a greater effect on highway safety than any equipment you could put in a vehicle.

[IamIan]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

I'm married with a 2 year old some and another on the way, safety is important to me. Yes I drive carefully, I have even had smith driving classes but that doesn't protect against crazy scenarios and idiot/drunk drivers.
Personally, give me all the safety equipment possible.

Sooo ... given the already posted data showing that in the real world .. the heavier vehicle has a statistically more than twice the rate/odds of death ... Is it safe to assume that you'll be looking for that lighter vehicle weight , as the safety feature it is .. on any future vehicle you purchase ?

(as posted previously)
3,500+ Lbs Vehicles 1 death out of every 1,500 registered vehicles.
2,500- Lbs vehicles 1 death out of every 3,333 registered vehicles.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by IamIan

Sooo ... given the already posted data showing that in the real world .. the heavier vehicle has a statistically more than twice the rate/odds of death ... Is it safe to assume that you'll be looking for that lighter vehicle weight , as the safety feature it is .. on any future vehicle you purchase ?

(as posted previously)
3,500+ Lbs Vehicles 1 death out of every 1,500 registered vehicles.
2,500- Lbs vehicles 1 death out of every 3,333 registered vehicles.

Well id like to see the data. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that 3,333 is 1/3 of 10,000. My guess? they took 3 data points and made a generalization.

Show me the study or the data, then we'll talk.