Velvet wrote:

Snipped Text
On the other hand, they drive less carefully when protected by
airbags, abs and seatbelts.

Guy

Not all of them do, ta :-) I don't rely on ABS to stop me quicker - I
use it to even out the fact that the car in front probably has it and
will stop quicker than I can if I don't have it... so my driving hasn't
changed in that respect. Seatbelts - always worn one, always will, so
can't comment on how I'd drive without one. Airbags? I'd rather it
didn't go off, ta, so it's another incentive to not have an accident
that'll make it explode in front of me.

Airbags have been implicated in some rather nasty accidents that might
have been less nasty had the airbag not gone off, so I have very mixed
feelings about being in a car equipped with several of the things.

Agreed, although not because of what they do, I know how reliable they
are(n't).

Yes it might stop me cracking my head open on the steering wheel, but on
hte other hand I'd rather not have massive chest injuries caused by it..

Actually it's wearing a seat belt that causes the chest injuries. An air
bag only causes friction burns on your arms. All an air bag is designed
to do is to stop whiplash injuries by absorbing your forward momentum.
The bag is actually deflating as you hit it. If you don't wear a seat
belt your face hits the steering wheel as the bag is deployed. This is
where injuries occur - usually fatally. Hence the term 'Supplementary
Restraint System'.

So it's not quite as clear cut that all the extra safety stuff makes
people drive less carefully :-)

It is, there are always a few exceptions. Unfortunately you can't easily
measure it, but observations suggest that having the safety devices does
indeed 'encourage' more aggressive driving.

--
Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS
Honda Concerto 16v: Windows free zone (Mac G5 Dual Processor)
http://www.thehewitts.plus.com - now online